Emily Roche- D.C. Trip

After an eventful day in Washington, D.C., I can say with certainty that my view of some monuments and memorials has vastly changed.  Prior to the trip, I had visited D.C. to see monuments and memorials, such as the WWII memorial, with my family many years ago.  When visiting with my family, I found the WWII memorial to be big and beautiful and, yes, perfect for taking a picture in front of the Virginia column.  After talking about the memorial in class, my view changed yet again, as I saw the memorial as busy and unsuccessful.  However, after visiting the site on VE Day, my view was changed yet again.  I no longer see the memorial as busy and unsuccessful after watching over a dozen veterans be honored at the site.  Witnessing this ceremony has changed my view not only on this memorial in particular, but on the many sites we visited yesterday.  While the memorial may seem unsuccessful, it is a place for Americans to gather in unity, and reflect, or simply just remember, a struggle that the nation has overcome.  Seeing the amount of people at the many monuments and memorials we visited really strengthened this idea of mine, and made me realize the large number of people that do honor the past and those that have been lost in it.

However, out of all the sites visited, I especially enjoyed the visit to the Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  While I knew the cemetery was extremely big, I had no idea that I would feel like minuscule when walking through the never ending graves.  I was also very moved by the changing of the guards that occurs every thirty minutes.  Not only was the ceremony very impressive and very official, but it was moving in the sense that our nation honors those who have fought for the country so much, that they guard this sacred tomb of an unknown fallen soldier day and night, rain or shine.  Seeing this site in particular gave me a great sense of pride and truly made me honor my country.  This memorial, out of the many we visited, was one of the most successful in triggering my emotions, and making me remember and honor the past.

Finally, after visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I was surprised at how similar to Hass' reading the memorial was.  By this, I mean how silent the space was, and how sacred it felt.  I felt that if I spoke, I would be disrupting those lost and their loved ones visiting them.  The site was very moving in this sense, and it seemed that the many visitors at the site felt this way, too.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find a note left at the wall, reminding me of Hass' points about the gifts left at the wall on a daily basis.  I felt as if the memorial was still living, even years after the war, and that people were still honoring what has been lost.