Maidan

Two days ago we got the chance to go to Maidan with our head coordinator, Tanya. Maidan is in the center of the city where all the governmental buildings are. It’s like our Washington DC. I had already seen it on Monday with my host family (it was by accident that we ended up there and we decided to look around even though it was not allowed for me to go yet.) but I wanted the chance to see it again so I went again. Both times I went I felt completely safe even though, at one point it was a battle front. It is really surreal to be there in the center of all of it. For months we have seen it on TV, heard about it on the news, been under house arrest because of it, but we finally got the chance to see it in person. I didn't know what to expect when I went, but what I experienced was something I never thought of. 

The reason we got to see it was because even though there are still protesters there they are peaceful. The coordinator thought it was safe enough for us but also thought that it would important to see what has happened with our own eyes. As I walked the streets I expected the protesters to be holding up signs and causing a ruckus but what I saw was completely different. I saw them sitting in chairs, talk on the phone, listen to music, and talk to friends, and cooking meals by fires. Just like normal people do however they are living in tents in the city center. like a huge camp out. As I walked around this area with some of the girls I teach with I couldn’t help but notice the atmosphere is something for respect. People are still grieving for the people that lost their lives just a mere two weeks ago when things got suddenly so violent on that Tuesday night.

I was surprised that the protesters were still here. they got what they wanted or so I thought. I asked why they are still here and our coordinator replied that they are going to stay until the new president is elected. They want to make sure the government lives up to its word with all the promises that they gave to the protesters. They are also still protesting because they don’t like what the new government is doing right now. They have already made some poor decisions and they are not happy about them. So they will remain here until May (or maybe later) when the new president will come into office and put together some new change, some real change that the people want.

 Nothing is cleaned up over there. The streets are still missing loads of stones from the walk ways, the streets are covered with blacken soot from burning tires, and windows still remain shattered. It looks like a movie set. There is a huge building that is blackened from fire in the middle of the square that the president caught on fire, this still remains a reminder of what the president has done to his people. There are still barricades on the streets but they have opened up some different entrances so people can wander in. families now come with their little ones and old couples walk around to get a feeling for what had happened just a mere few weeks ago.

I think it’s truly amazing to care about something so much as to go and spend months in one spot and even risk your life for it. I have never felt like that before in my life about something. However I hope that someday I will feel so passionate about something that I might be able to change it for the better.

 

I got interviewed for a national news show because I played the piano in the background :)

anti war posters

protesters still here