After an incredible trip to Peru, I was confronted with reality as I stepped off the frigid plane into sticky, humid Ecuadorian air. Trust me, it was something I was definitely looking forward to, as I found that I had missed ¨Mi País¨ and was ready to get back to work.
However, that has become almost impossible as practically the whole country is on strike!
Before I left, all teachers had gone on strike, protesting their rights and pay among other things. It seemed pretty peaceful and something that was likely to blow over. As of October 1, the strike is still on, indefinitely, and the students have gone a month without classes. So I haven´t been able to start any of my lesson plans with the students, and it doesn´t look likely for a while still. Chris, who´s work totally relies on schools, has managed to help 2 people paint their houses and is accumlating other paint jobs as we speak.
Yesterday I heard that the teachers have until October 14th to straighten things out or they are going to fire everyone and hire new teachers.(My neighbor said they will be on strike until January....that I highly doubt). How they are going to fire A WHOLE COUNTRY of teachers and find new ones, I have no idea. Today the teachers were parading around Yantzaza, banging pots and pans, yelling in protest. I am still not totally clear as to what they are fighting for, but they even have their students involved. On Tuesday I was in Zamora and high school students were throwing rocks at the police barracade that was in the street. For a country that is not too keen with their education, they are sure passionate about it.
In addition to the teachers, the Indigenous are also protesting, what is mining and water laws. President Correa has agreed to talk to them, but things have gotten kind of violent with them, too. So I am just staying put in Yantzaza for a little bit.
It´s amazing to me how passionate people get here about their rights. For the most part they seem pretty passive and easy-going, not necessarily too abreast of the issues or their own rights. But as soon as some movers and shakers start talking, they get the whole country in a frenzy. It´s interesting to see these strikes and see how angry and upset people are getting. Someone told me that with these strikes, he smells a revolution. I sure hope he´s wrong.
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3 comments:
Yikes! Keep your head low and be everyone's friend. How are you passing the time if you have no work?
Mammmaaaaaa
Kinda puts into perspective on how much freedom we have in the U.S...or at least how much we think we have. A harsh reality after a break from it, I suppose.
Olympics in Rio! I would say 'congrats,' but I imagine you won't be there in 2016.
I love the fact that the Ecuadorian pueblo regularly takes to the streets. But that's cuz most of the country has no cable T.V.
We here in the U.S. are getting screwed over by bank bail-outs, no health care reform, and weak climate bills. But we're too busy in front of our T.V.s to even care.
If the Ecuadorian government wants to stop the pueblo from protesting all the time, it should give every citizen a flat-screen T.V. with free cable service.
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