Thursday, February 17, 2011

and finally.

we've been trying to schedule samil for a little routine surgery (wait... is any surgery really "routine"?) for the past six months. that's right, six months.

we use a government based insurance for public school teachers and well... the system has been having some problems. growing pains and the hiccups they cause on top of full scale government corruption and poor money management. here in santiago we're lucky enough to have a clinic that offers something, because in most of the country they teachers have been without healthcare for months. and as a result many, many a child in an already illiterate nation is missing day after day of classes while teachers, until very recently, just decided to sit at home and wallow.

well.

there is a movement. and it's powerful. and i am so. so proud of the association of teachers for their non-violent protest in the midst of a very violent cultural protest. on days when garbage and tires and mess is being burned in the streets in protest, the teachers are marching.

they started in the north and are marching to the capital. they started in the east and are marching. and they west started marching, too. tomorrow, they'll converge in the capital. teachers from all over the country. after having marched, on foot, from town to town, in public demonstration of their determination.

determination because they value their jobs. and they want the government to value them, too. they value the future of this country and are demanding that the future be given what it deserves. 4% of the GDP.

we can't make it to santo domingo tomorrow, but we'll wear our yellow in solidarity and keep on fighting for the future.

because if it doesn't happen now, when will it?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I love this! I'll be sending good vibes your way that things work out for the best! I'd wear yellow too... but I don't have any!