C'est la première fois.

Today, for the first time according to my host parents, the trains have been blocked. Everyone always dreams of the trains being blocked when you're standing outside, in the freezing cold, whipping wind and black sky. But that little light down the tracks always seems to glow, getting bigger and bigger as it gets closer and closer. Not this morning. After waiting about 7 minutes outside, assured I had frost bite on my toes, Heloise and I returned to the car. Thankfully, her dad drove us this morning, usually we take the taxi. We sat in the car until 7:21. The train was at 7:08.
Le train était en retard-the train was late. No, it wasn't. Il ya un blocus à la gare- There is a blockade at the train station.
When we first got in the car, my host dad got out and stood by the train tracks, with everyone else. Heloise and I sat in the car confused. At 7:20, everyone started walking back to the cars. No train today.

The strikes are gotten to the point where no one can get to work or school or anywhere for that matter. There is no gas, there are no trains, there are buses, but limited and there are blockades. Know what that means? If you are lucky and have gas and don't care to waste it (because they have stopped making it), to bad, the city is blocked off. No way in, no way out. If you live in the city and thats the only place you have to go, awesome, but you'll be stuck in the middle of the strikes. Today a village about 5km away, very close, like 3 miles or something, has run out of gas. No more, all gone. Guess what...that's where we get our gas from. Guess what I'm doing saturday? Driving to the Swiss ALps. Guess how far it is? Over 700km. With what gas? You tell me. I have an idea! We could take a train! NOPE, blockade at the train station. We. Are. Stuck.

Tomorrow the government can decide to change their decision about the retirement age, or keep it. IF they decide to change it rioting, striking, and blockades will end, hopefully. IF they turn a blind eye and continue on with the pension and retirement age issue, it'll only get worse...