(#9) How I lived the 2011 student protests in Chile

I want to tell you an story. The story is about how I participated in the protests, and how I changed my thinking about the politics, the society and the world.

This story began in June of 2011. At the beginning, I had a liberal righted position in politics. One day, I saw a letter written by an student federation. It called to an strike on June 16. I showed this in my school. Only a few classmates agreed with me. Then, we talked with more schoolmates, and the group grew up. We painted some signs with slogans that supported the student movement. Of course, we had troubles with the Principal of School. She threatened us with kicking up of the school. But we continued with the fighting. We went to marches in the center of Santiago and also in the south of the city (like in the photo). In that days I started to have a left political vision.

One day, my group of mates occupied the school. At the beginning I was in disagreement. But some days later, I was agree with them. Even though I supported the protests and the occupation of my school, I decided to continue my classes on another school. I left my group. I wanted to register in an university, and it required the PSU test. For that reason, I went back to studies.

Although that, I'm very proud to be an "2011 son". It changed me. I was very individualist before the protests. Then, I started to think that all of we are one only people. And I will continue with that vision. I will continue fighting for people's education.

(#8) Violence

What's violence? Violence is the intentional use of physical force against another person or group of people. But the question is: must violence be only physical? What about the psycho violence? Well, the psycho violence contains many types of violence. 

I'm going to be specific. I'm going to write about the violence of Capitalism (understood as a political, economic and Social System) against the people. This violence can be evident in the lifestyle that most people carries on everyday. 

Violent is the Public Transport System, because is violent travelling in it like animals in a truck. Violent is the minimum wage, because is violent to make that money be enough to eat and live until the end of the month, in other words, survive with a little money quantity. And more violent are the debts that you have to pay to the companies and retail shops. These companies are violent too, because they threaten you to get you out from your house and your dignity, if you don't pay the debts.

Violent is the Education, because the bourgeoisie class teach you only for be a worker, an slave. They are not interested in you, in your dreams, your goals and life proyects. They only want working force to make working their companies and factories. And if you have luck and register in the University, you will end working to maintain the actual order of system.

Violent is the public health system. Wake up very early to get a poor attention, and wait several hours to receive it, unless you die waiting for it. Only if you have enough money you can have a good attention and live without worries.

And when we, the people, try to demonstrate our anger against this violence, the State answers to the people with police repression, with physical violence, and also with death, like the case of Manuel Gutiérrez and Matías Catrileo..

Violent is the system. And one day the people will respond with rage, with violence against the system and its violence.

Missing a friend.

Sebastián Solís was the name of a very good friend. I met him at University of Santiago, when I was studying Civil Engineering, specifically, in a party at the Campus. A classmate introduced him to me. At the beginning, we didn't talk so much. Many days later, I saw him at the classroom. I started to talk with him. He was very kind. I got along with him.

Sebastián used to go to classes at the same classroom I did. He also used to go party with me and my friends. I remember the night when he brought a vodka bottle at a party. We had a lot of fun that night with my friends, with Sebastián and that bottle. Obviously, we got drunk.

I remember the day when I was kicked out of the University. One of the only people that accompanied me was Seba. In fact, that was the last day I saw him.

Sebastián is not anymore with me and with nobody. He died in December of 2013 at 19 years old, in an accident. When I noticed about his death, I couldn't believe it. I was devastated. My friends too. 

I wrote this because it has been four and a half months since you left this world. And me and your friends, and every person who have the pleasure to meet you, we never will forget you, Seba.