Intercambio

Yesterday I had a conversation with a classmate about politics, government, and the power of the student movement - in Chile and in the U.S. It was a conversation that reminded me why I'm here. Coming to a different country to live, not just to travel, means starting to learn how different cultures see their world - and how they see social change, too. My classmate remarked proudly that when something in the system needs to change, Chileans don't hesitate to hit the streets, and they "make it a carnival."

"But is the government paying attention to the marches and protests?" I asked, clearly not getting the point. "Oh, of course not," he responded. The Chilean government is right-wing, restrictive, and not open to the hopes of young students and dreamers. But it's not about reaching the government - it's about changing society and occupying the public space. Chileans fill streets with bright colors and loud noises and high spirits, it's a social affair and it's part of their identity. It doesn't matter if anyone is "paying attention" - just the act of being out there together is success. Chileans own their public space and they own it with pride. It is their common ground; it is where they join together, build connections, and hold large-scale conversations.

I was inspired by my classmate's optimism, especially in a country with a political system that seems even more hopeless than ours in the U.S. He believes that 100% free education is possible for Chile, as it is for the entire world. I'm not sure many Californian students will dare to dream that dream in this day and age.

I talked about the Occupy Cal movement; how it was a time when various groups and interests came together to create a strong voice for justice in the California education system. But it faded. My classmate noted, that here in Chile, the student government and the student movement are intertwined. This is not the case with the Berkeley ASUC - and maybe that's why our movement comes in waves and lulls, and lacks a steady force to make lasting change. He said that it really comes down to building coalitions with as many different groups as possible, because in the end, so many of us share common goals, or common values. That should be the role of student government, as a constant and institutional structure of intersectionality within the university.

Yes, we have protests and marches in the U.S., too. We build coalitions and we find common ground. North American students and Chilean students are both doing things right in a lot of ways. We each have strengths and weaknesses, and plenty of diversity. But coming from different cultures, we see things and feel things a little bit differently; we are acting different historical contexts and situated presents. This means that we can only become stronger by learning from each other, occupying a fuller portion of the musical scale of movement and momentum.