If it wasn't already apparent, France has been experiencing unrest from the recent strikes throughout the country. The strikes began about a month ago, and they're over the law that President Nicholas Sarkozy is planning to put through Parliament that will increase the retirement age from 62 to 65 and the state pension age to 67, I believe. (Sidenote: I don't quite understand this to be a problem for the French; they already have the youngest retirement age in the world, they have 35 hour full time work weeks with 2 hours for lunch everyday, and more vacation time than anyone in the world...hmmm.) But annnways, strikes have been occurring throughout the country, and recently things have escalated and gotten much worse. In northern Paris, there have been riots against the police and military police. They even had to bring in the French version of a SWAT team...
Some French people are blocking France's oil/gas companies as well, and 1/4 of the gas stations in France are without gas...which is quite problematic. Along with using blocades against oil and gas, they have also blocaded the schools. The high school near Lille III has been blocaded for several days now, and there has been talk of Lille III being blocked. And yesterday, they voted to make that happen. So this morning, the school was basically fenced off with protesters and the like. Apparently this happens from time to time in France, and I don't see the point of blocading school 2 days before mid-term break. Hmmm whatever.
In addition, yesterday all of Lille's modes of public transportation (run by Transpole) were completely shut down and closed due to a few acts of violence against Transpole workers. One bus driver was apparently held at gunpoint, another Metro worker was shot, and something else but I don't remember! They reopened today and life is continuing as normal, but there are helicopters flying all over Villeneuve d'Ascq...BUT I also heard that SNCF train workers are striking (they run the TGV) and that could be a problem because I have to go to Brussels on Saturday morning to pick Steve and Jason up from the train station...My fingers are crossed. But that is a happy thing to think of! I can't believe that time has flown by so quickly! Is it really time for mid-term break??? AH! And my little sis is gonna be 18 soon :( sad face. But now she can go to big girl jail...HAHAH! Well tonight is the Halloween party held by the Club Angellier (english dept club) and hopefully I can find some sort of costume for that...we shall see! But as for my safety here, don't fret kids, I'm fine. I'm a smart cookie, and I can handle whatever life throws at me! :)
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