One of my most significant memories is my first experience in a Demonstration when I was 18 years old. It was in 2008 when I was doing my first year on the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. That year there were such big problems with the local government of Lima that novice students like me (usually called cachimbos) who participated enthusiastically in marches as a demonstration against the Municipality and the Police. Furthermore, we liked to learn the university life, social changes, and politics, topics usually related to university demonstrations and protests of San Marcos.
That year, after making an obscure agreement with the university authorities, the Municipality of Lima was going to use grounds of the University to build a new road and a bypass. However, some professors and thousands of students completely disagreed. On May 8th, 2008, the walls, which surrounded the university campus, were demolished by the municipality early morning. Later, leaders of federated and students centers were called to protest that day. As a result, that was going to be a big demonstration.
I went with a group of friend and classmates of the faculty. After meeting on the street, the protesters and the police started to argue because the initial idea of the protest leaders was going to the National Congress; meanwhile, the Police tried to stop us. Suddenly, they started to fight. As a result, dozens of tear gas bombs, Molotov cocktails, stones, burned tires, and sticks were thrown in the streets. Having been shocked by the violent confrontation, my close friends and I didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, an old woman took me to a cybercafe and locked me. The noise was intense, the smell unbearable, and I was afraid of being arrested. Later, I left there safe and sound.
I don’t know what could have happened if I had not been taken by that old woman. I had good luck. Otherwise, I could have been in serious problem with the tear gas, hit by a stone or caught by the police. I was very disappointed by the leaders, who disappeared immediately the fight started. Because it was very hazardous, I remember this memory very well. Consequently, I was more careful with the protests and focused more on my university studies.
In conclusion, the protest was part of my learning process as a university student.
This article was presented for the course Advanced Grammar 2 of the ICPNA. Book: Focus On Grammar 5, published by Pearson
Units: 20th – Adverb and Adverbial Phrases, and 21th – Connectors.
Instructions: Write three or four paragraphs about a significant memory you have. Explain clearly why this memory is important to you, and speculate as to why you remember it well. Use specific details to support your ideas and statements. Include appropriate adverbs/adverbial phrases and connectors in your composition (both were underlined).
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