¡No Pan, No Paz!

El Banco de Espana

¡No Pan, No Paz!  That is what several protest signs read on Thursday, March 29, 2012 when Spain held a nationwide strike.  Can I start off by saying that "Huelga General en España" made Occupy Wall Street look like a joke.  ¡Fue tan intenso!  The purpose of the strike was to make the government rectify its agenda and to not apply their new labor reform which will harm workers rights.  Workers and unions rallied in a full day general strike to protect the labor sector.  They participated in the consumer strike by not driving or refueling their 'coches', not buying or hiring any service, minimizing the use of electricity, telephone, gas and water for the day, and not utilizing public transportation.  

Erin and I in Plaza de Cibeles

We foreign exchange students at Comillas were warned weeks in advance that the strike would affect the country's bus, train and air transportation networks.  In order to travel to my university, I must take two Cercanías trains.  I was as scared as a toddler seeing Santa for the first time. Nevertheless, being the diligent, ambitious, perfect, dazzling, loyal and determined 'estudiante' that I am, since I have four classes on Thursdays, I braved the anticipated battlefield and ventured off to my 8:30 a.m.  With Disney's Mulan's soundtrack blaring from my iPod for encouragement:  

(Be a man)

We must be swift as

the coursing river

(Be a man) 

With all the force

of a great typhoon

(Be a man)

With all the strength

of a raging fire

Mysterious as the

dark side of the moon

I made it to class.  Great success! Apparently though, I was the only international student brave enough to face this "blood-soaked affair of honor".... I was the lone student to show up to class, it was just me and Professor Marco.  Yes, I do believe that that situation does deserve the hashtag on Twitter, #ThatAwkwardMomentWhen.  However, I ended up talking to him for over an hour, we had a pleasant conversation regarding my future, he even offered to buy me coffee. However, all good things must come to an end.  I figured I should probably use my newfound  'tiempo libre' to study for my European History of the 20th Century midterm the following day, so I pleasantly excused myself from his presence and set up camp in the library.  Nevertheless, enough is enough when I was the only student present for my second class of the day.  Not even the professor was kind enough to grace me with his presence.  Hence, I took the next available train home two hours later.  What a waste of a day! 

A sticker promoting the strike

When I returned to my residencia, after telling all my friends, who skipped class that day, my experience, we walked to El Parque de Retiro.  Other than the fact that they only ran 15 trains that day, and all trains were two hours apart, my commute to Universidad Pontificia Comillas was rather painless.  The strike had been quite peaceful that morning, but Professor Marco cautioned me that there was more to come that afternoon.  Upon returning from the park, my friends and I encountered the largest mob I have ever seen in Plaza de Cibeles.  The protestors were peaceful, but the crowd was massive.  We had to hold hands to fight through the crowd.  Protestors held picket signs, shouted slogans and participated in rallies as red smoke filled the sky.  It was a moving experience to see so many people, young and old, ban together to fight for something with so much passion.  Although, for the remainder of my stay in Spain I would rather not witness another strike, por favor y gracias.