Education stress, and basketball success

I don't know how many of you have heard about the education strikes that are happening in Chile right now, but it's pretty big news here in Viña.  Basically, a great amount of people in Chile are striking because they want free education on all levels - elementary, middle, high, and college.  They are saying that the people have a right to education and the government should pay for it.  Right now, all schooling besides college is required, but there is no help paying for it.  If your family has money, you will most likely go to a private school to receive a widely known better education.  If you don't have money, you will attend a public school which is probably vastly lacking of the tools necessary to ensure a solid education.  As I said, there is no help paying for even elementary, middle, and high school.  Although they don't even come close to the prices that college does, it can obviously be a problem for some families.  

I agree that something should be done to help people who need help on an educational level less than college, for sure.  I am slightly bothered though by the thought that college should be free to all.  That would cause countless problems that I don't wish to go into now.  I believe there should be help for those who wish to gain a higher education, but there should by no means be free education for all without second thought.  

All opinions aside, there's a lot of "ruckus" going on because of this.  It's actually quite violent at times.  A little more than a week ago, on Wednesday and Thursday there was a very big strike in the streets of Santiago and Viña del Mar (where I am living).  Once the sun set, the trouble makers and die-hards came out... and the students attending colleges or schools that weren't closed went and stayed indoors.  There were people with guns, bats, and all sorts of weapons in the streets. The police had quite a time dealing with it.  They used fire trucks and sprayed the masses with water.  They rounded up the most routy of the strikers with plastic shields and their little bat things, I'm not sure what their proper name is.  But the most stunning of events that occurred was the release of tear gas.  I couldn't believe that it was so serious that they not only hosed people down, but actually threw tear gas grenades.  As one of the girls on my trip said: note to the not to wise:  Tear gas ligers.

On a lesser note, I'd like to talk about basketball.  As some of you may know, I have a really crappy left knee.  I have had two surgeries in just over a year, and until recently I thought I was done with rigorous physical activity for the rest of my life.  While planning last year at college for my stay in Chile, I planned with the other guy on the trip, Gabe, to play basketball.  Those plans changed as my knee situation grew worse.  When I got here, I had accepted that I wouldn't be able to play basketball that I had previously planned.  I decided to watch a practice anyway.  Knowing that it would be hard to watch my favorite sport being played without me, I brought my clothes and gear along so I could shoot on the sidelines.  Basically, I tried playing anyway.  I had stretched my knee out for the past half hour, and it was feeling good, so I gave it a shot.

I couldn't believe it, but I was running and playing with the fast paced Chileans as if I didn't have a knee problem.  I was so good to be playing again!  

Two days later, I decided to come back again for the next game.  To my surprise, the coach announced in the huddle that I would be starting.  Later, to my surprise, he put my in key defensive positions, and taught me a play in the huddle during a timeout which goal was to get me the ball in the post.  This was too good to be true.  Not only am I able to play again, but I am a key player on the University basketball team.  I am proud to tell you all about this and pray that I will continue to experience good health!