Nebraska Society of Washington Selects Abby Helman as 2008 Cherry Blossom Princess “Life Changing ” – Guest Contributor:  Abby Helman of Lincoln, 2008 Nebraska Cherry Blossom Princess This year I had the opportunity to spend my spring semester in Washington, D.C. as an intern at CNN on the Political Ticker. To say it has been an amazing experience would be an understatement. It has been more than I could have ever imagined. I've seen President Bush speak live and up close and Vice President Cheney address the nation for the last time, as well as attend both John McCain's victory party and a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton.  I've sat in on the Larry King Live and The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer programs and had the opportunity to be just 15 yards away from the Pope.   In addition to these experiences, I also had the opportunity to represent the great State of Nebraska in the 60th anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival in April. The festival is the annual commemoration and celebration of the friendship and goodwill shared between the United States and Japan. Each year, young women from across the country and across the world gather in Washington as ‘princesses’ to represent their states and countries and take part in the festival which recognizes Japan’s gift to the United States of the cherry trees that encircle the Tidal Basin. As Nebraska’s Cherry Blossom Princess, I made countless new friends from all around the United States and participated in a week of unique, educational and exciting activities. The Cherry Blossom Princesses were able to meet the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, tour the White House and National Cathedral, go backstage at the Kennedy Center, and eat breakfast at the Embassy of Sweden, lunch at the Embassy of Ukraine, and dinner at the Japanese Embassy where we met the Ambassador of Japan. I was fortunate to have Senator Ben Nelson serve as my escort to the Congressional Reception and attended the Grand Ball where Maine’s princess was selected through a "spin of the wheel" to represent the United States as the Cherry Blossom Queen and travel to Japan for two weeks. My festival experiences were unparalleled and I extend my great appreciation to the Nebraska Society for selecting me and sponsoring many of my experiences during the week. Again, to say this semester has been amazing would be an understatement. It has been a semester full of meeting great new friends, living and working in a new and exciting environment, and making countless memories, which I will carry with me for life! I am so incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to experience it all. This chapter in my life can officially be titled, "Life Changing." Abby with her parents, Gary and Donna Helman, at the Nebraska Society’s Cherry Blossom Princess Reception Nebraska Society President Cory Colhouer, and Vice President Katie Juhl-Telligman, with Abby

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