Everybody Wants to Rule the World

*This blog post was actually written between the 17th and 19th of August*

It is a brand new day! Today it is cold and raining. I am in the center and the probability of there being another student protest is 100%. The reason why I am so happy (even though there will be a protest and I will be in the epicenter of it) is because I am currently at the Ex-Congreso Nacional watching my students debate for the second day straight. The time has finally come. They are participants in the MOEA (Model Organization of American States) and they are representing the great nation of Jamaica. My kids have been working diligently and although sometimes I may have lost my patience with them during this process, they are doing an amazing job. They are debating issues Jamaica is facing today. They are arguing for education reform, reducing poverty, and fighting against injustices Jamaicans are faced with every day. They have been drafting resolutions and speeches non-stop. They are collecting signatures from other states, and at lastly (but not the least) they are speaking like diplomats! Even only the teachers and directors at my school could see them debate. Also, my kids are dressed to the Nines. They have to come to the debates dressed like the diplomats. The boys are wearing suits and ties and the girls have been wearing suits and heels as well. They look totally different from they look during the school day. Even I, myself, am required to come dressed formally. My feet are killing me (which means I am finally putting my heels to goos use). I learned from yesterday not to arrive to work wearing my heels. I should have known better, but I did not know if wearing gym shoes to an event would have been a faux-paux (especially when entering a government building).

Although I am excited for my students, I feel out of place. Yesterday, the MOEA moderators (students from the Universidad de Chile) confused me with some the high school students and most of the professors from the other schools here are old enough to be my parents. I spoke to one woman yesterday, but other than that, I have not done much speaking. I need to find my niche. I wonder if I am putting out the same stand-offish vibe I supposedly sent out back on the Hill. When I had to attend an orientation for the program, there was only one other professor who spoke with me (I know he meant well, but he kind of was a creeper), but unfortunately his school is no longer participating in the simulation. Everyone assumed they were going to participate, but was surprised to see they did not arrived. We have a feeling they dropped out because their school is still in toma. Unfortunately for the schools who happen to be in toma during this time are at risk of losing their academic year. What this means is they will have to repeat the year . Juniors will remain juniors (this is an example) for another year and also they will be in school all year long (meaning no winter or summer vacations). Some people even say they will have to extend the school week from five to six days and may be even a longer school day as well. Never did I think I would say I miss my creepy friend. Sure, he reminded me of two people I would not want to see again or run into when I have had a drink or two and sure he talked about things I pretended to only have interest in because I didn’t have the heart to tell him I could care less (the Chileans are sensitive about those kinds of things), but he was polite.

Yesterday, another professor had the nerve to get mad at me because I would not let her borrow my pen. I gave her the piece of paper I had in my hand (I want to write one of my kids a note). Wasn’t that enough? I think it was the way she asked me for the pen and the piece of paper which did rub me the wrong way. She did not ask “May I please have your piece of paper?” She instead commanded “Give me your piece of paper that you have in your hand.” When she saw the pen in my hand, she then said “Let me use your pen.” I told her “Sorry but I am about use it so I write my kid a note.” She scoffed and said , “Are you serious?” I responded, “Yes. I am sorry, but I really need to use MY pen to write my kid a note.” Offended, she replied, “Ugh. Thanks alot” and then proceeded to take a pen from her bag and walked away. I mean, seriously, she couldn’t just do that in the beginning to avoid the whole confrontation. Just because someone asks if they can borrow something does not mean the response is automatically yes. Sometimes it is No. I have avoided having to be in the same room with her. She can give me all the dirty looks she wants, but those looks do not make me feel guilty about not lending her my pen. When you assume, you only make an ass out of “you” and “yourself.” I know the cliche saying does not go along those lines, same difference. That is my philosophy and I am sticking to it. About fifteen minutes, my kids are going to have a coffee break and I am going to ask them how they feel the debates within the respective commissions are going. I am so proud of them. They are learning about the complexities of the world they are surrounded by and are inevitably a member/product of.

Continuing this post at 1:08pm (EST), the General Commission just voted on Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Paraguay, and Jamaica’s Resolution. I am so proud of my kids! They had it approve with hardly opposition and I know they worked so hard on their resolution. A couple of the kids barely slept because they wanted to make sure the resolution is perfect. Right now, the kids are voting for the President and Vice President for next year’s commission. I wonder if any of my kids nominated themselves for the presidency of the commission? I will find out right now. Side-note ... nothing having to do with the presidency, but with the other professors. A few of the women professors can be just as catty and gossipy as some of the high schoolers they teach. I guess I include myself in this group because I am making remarks about them here on my post instead of to their faces, but whatevs. I, at least, acknowledge what I am doing and I don’t walk around making myself seem better than everyone else. I know this mean. I apologize, but no one intimidates me while I wear my heels, I am a tower. I am approximately 5’9” with my shoes on. I am a GIANT! Then again, Chileans are not very tall and I am already taller than many Chileans I know (I am only 5’6”).

4:03pm I do not know how people can walk in heels all day and not complain! I am in so much pain. Never again will I try to break in new shoes in the center of Santiago during the winter and while it is raining. Even when I am sitting my feet in pain. It is indescribable. Tomorrow will be the last day of this torture. Even if I decide to wear my flats tomorrow, it will be intolerable. I wonder if I can get away with wearing my TOMS. Hopefully, it will not be raining tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be able to go home early since this is supposed to be wrapping up around 1:30-2:00pm at the latest.

It's a Cold and It's a Broken Hallelujah

On top of me not proof-readin my blog posts, I do a poor job of not updating my blog on a regular basis. It's been a little more than a month since my last post and things continue to happen. Well, life goes on whether or not I update my blog, but since I do not keep journals or jot down notes, I would like to look back on something when I return to the States and I am feeling nostalgic. I have since returned to work and the students are still going strong. I feel sometimes the protests have become more aggressive. When I say that, I do not mean the students themselves, but there are people who like to infiltrate the peaceful movements and (excuse my language here) fuck shit up. There may be one or two students who act stupidly as well, but the majority of people who destroy city property and throw molotov cocktails are hooligans. They are people who do not want change, but just need a reason who cause havoc. I have heard of stories where these people loot stores and when they are done with that, they will set things ablaze. This is not the work of the student demonstrators.

The students who protest are doing so for a purpose. They want better schools. They want more money to be pumped into the education system. Socialism is not that bad, people. The people in American government who think socialism is bad, who think it is just another name for communism, do not understand the true definition of socialism. I am not a fan of "Super Congress" or government telling me who I can or cannot marry, but I am also not a fan of government privatizing and selling everything nor am I a fan of welfare or Affirmative Action (I may be center-left, but there are things I do not agree with the Left). There has to be a balance somewhere in the middle.

The Piñera Administration refuses to put any more money into education because they feel it is not their responsibility to do so. They also refuse to put money into other social programs as well: Firefighters, Police, Streets and Sanitation. What would American conservatives like Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry say in this instance? This is not their responsibility? As much as they may think Socialism is wrong, this is an aspect of Socialism. American conservatives (not all, but a number of them) turn to Chile saying Free-Market Capitalism works. Privatize everything. They only see what they want to see (Hear No Evil, See No Evil). The American Public Education System is not that much better than the Chilean Education System, but to call the Chilean education system "terrible" is an understatement. There are so many kids not getting the attention they need and they are slipping through the cracks. There are so few in this country who can afford a private education and it is so difficult for those who cannot afford a private education to receive a decent education. There is a huge gap between rich and poor in this country just like in the United States and it is even more difficult in this country to move up from one socioeconomic class to another. It is difficult to try to better one's situation. I am exhausted of having to deal with the protests on the a weekly basis and I am tired of having to deal with tear gas when I am walking to work or when I am on the train, but hopefully these protests will not be in vain. Hopefully, they will have a great impact. The Arabs have their Spring, but the Chileans have their winter. As the darkness and cold go away, we can only hope and await for light.