The Presidential Trail of Barack Obama - Part 2

20 January 2009

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Barack Obama has made world-wide history. Elected as America’s first African-American President, Obama’s inauguration takes place today, and promises to draw crowds from all over the world to witness this global event.

Obama’s policies and beliefs have developed from much of his own life experiences, from being raised by his single mother in Indonesia to working as a community organizer in Chicago, and his family life with wife Michelle and his two daughters are also influential of his political decisions.

FemaleFirst takes a look at the places and cities which have shaped Obama’s life so far, including his parents’ meeting at the University of Hawaii, his political career in New York, his love of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, and the move into his new home at the White House in Washington DC.

Indonesia

After his parents’ divorce, Obama’s mother married a man named Lolo Soetoro, and moved the family to the capital city of Jakarta in Indonesia.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, which further contributed to Obama’s diverse and cultural upbringing, as he learnt to respect the customs of others. Its economy depends on an array of produce including textiles, cars and printing.

However, Jakarta experiences many problems too, such as poverty, pollution and overpopulation, and Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Also, the area often experiences flooding due to heavy rainfall.

Whilst in Indonesia, Obama’s mother was keen to teach him about her beliefs and values, and often encouraged him to listen to speeches from Martin Luther King junior, and helped him through his English courses.

She had a second child with her new husband, named Maya Kassandra Soetoro, and chose to send Obama back to Hawaii to pursue his dreams and develop his political education.

California

Upon graduating high school, Obama went to study in Los Angeles, California, to shape his political career. Here, Obama experienced his first taste of a celebrity lifestyle, as it is America’s most wealthy state.

Known as the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’, Los Angeles hosts the likes of Hollywood Boulevard, Mann’s Chinese Theatre and Universal Studios Hollywood, which is the world’s largest motion picture and television studio.

Obama is also a keen golfer, and for this reason, California suited him well. The sunshine state boasts warm weather all year round, and is the perfect destination for lovers of the beach and golf, as Obama is.

However, L.A. has a more cultural side too, and the California African-American Museum aims to educate people about African-Americans raised in California and other American states.

In recent years, California has experienced a lot of immigration, and now has large Asian and Latino communities.

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