(#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.