Sleepless

Write shorter and more often instead, that’s what my papá says, and I guess it is a good idea. But there has been a lot of studying these last two weeks, little sleep and well that´s why I have been so distant.

Tonight is a big night, an important game of baseball is taking place. Baseball is the biggest sport in Venezuela. It came to the country in the great era of the second colonialisation, that is when all the big American companies invaded the country. Now, I guess some people find some kind of delight in the game, since it is such a fuss about it, but really…what in god’s name can that be? I will not change my mind no matter what, if there is something I believe in this world it is the inherent stupidity of baseball. You might think that I am exaggerating this whole baseball thing, and you might want me to stop going on about it. But then I just want to make you aware of what happened last time I for one second let go of my convictions…
Cape Town, South Africa, it was the summer of 06. I was deceived into all of a sudden think it would be a good idea to go to a game of rugby. 70 000 spectators, South Africa met…another country, the S. African team consisted of only white men with bodies like bathtubs and necks like bulls. The game lasted forever since they kept interrupting it by jumping on each other and throw themselves in a huge pile when ever they got the chance. It was terrible. So, ok… baseball is popular here, I have made my point.

So the students are marching, for independent universities and against the reform, well at least the majority of the students are. Then there are those who march in favour of the reform as well but they seem to be few. At least that is how it is put.
On the 2 of december the popular referendum will take place and the people of Venezuela will have a say, yes or no to the reform. There is no way to accept just a few of the proposed articles in the reform (which now are up in about 70 aricles in total), it is either the whole thing or nothing, which would be continue with the current constitution.
On thursday there will be another student march and one of their demands is that the date for the public referndum is prosponed to the 3rd of februray, 2008. I have no class that day because the teacher thinks the students should be able to join the march if they want. So I think I will go down and have a look! I will bring my camera and pretend that I am a correspondant from Sweden, man, I have always wanted to do that...
"...bombs are flying over our heads, the law has seized to exist, it is extremely dangerous to leave your house, people are desperate... this is Lina Hällström, Bääg-dääd, Ajrräk"

And I have met my first feminist in Venezuela! Yo-hoo! It is a friend of my friend whom I got to know in Ecuador 4 years ago, since we worked with the same organisation. We met this sunday for a coffee and she just happened to be very involved with all different kinds of feminist activities. She works with a government body which tries to make all other ministries aware of the law (which has some very interesting parts on women's rights and equality) but also doing various projects in the barrios, organising women there.

Ok, to finish it off I add some photos from my trip to Barinas last weekend. I went with a friend who has family there. I ate very good grandmothers food, saw lots of cows, slept in hammocks and bathed in rivers.
This photo is from a small village up in the mountains, can't bahve more than 500 inhabitants.





The photo to the right is from the one and only and obligatory Plaza Bolívar. I would like that Möllan was more pink, it could have been nice!










As I commented in the beginning, studying is one of the predominant things going on in my life for the moment and since I like efficiency (well, for the moment I don't really have a choice if I am supposed to make it through the semester), so what to do when someone (Petra) is cutting your hair... there is just one answere!

I'll get back soon and hopefully have some first hand reports from the march!