Fellow Stories
True gap year stories from Fellows abroad!
Check out the latest blogs from Global Citizen Year Fellows in Brazil, Ecuador, and India!
Category
Class Year
Country
CLAY
Indiana Nunez Sharer
2015-08-27
I come from a land where beneath the surface of the ground there is rich, terracotta colored clay. It is clay that when walked upon adheres to the bottom of your soles and if those soles just happen to be bare, well, you will find your feet to be tinted red. In this same land from which I come...
Read MoreThings In My Room
Mila Le
2015-08-27
Things in my room, I have clothes, books, an excessive amount of pillows, I have peace. I’m deciding what I should pack. I’m deciding on what I need. In my ginormous suitcase I’ve packed a lot of t-shirts, a couple pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shoes, some formal dresses and a lot more toiletries...
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And a hush fell over the crowd…
Andrew William Dunn
2015-08-27
And a hush fell over the crowd… How do I even begin to put into words the amount of excitement that I am feeling? When I think back to April, when I first heard that I had gotten in, I was in awe of the chance that I had received. This opportunity came at such a...
Read MoreDeparture
Charlotte Robbins
2015-08-27
I’ve always considered myself to be a planner; I map out events and deadlines, space out my time accordingly, and am disoriented by sudden changes in my schedule. About two months ago, however, I made the most impulsive decision of my life. I was sprawled across my couch watching Scrubs, when I jolted upright with the sudden...
Read MoreWhy am I doing this?
Katherine Brooke-Davidson
2015-08-27
I think that’s what I’m asked most frequently when I tell someone I’m moving to Ecuador. Or occasionally, with a little more sass, “On purpose?” It’s also something I ask myself. It’s a difficult question to answer beyond kind of generic, superficial goals. For instance, I want to learn Spanish, and interact with a new culture, and...
Read MoreAt Long Last
Emery Harwell
2015-08-27
I’m sure you’ve all heard me talk about Ecuador and Global Citizen Year, and if you haven’t then you’ve probably seen it somewhere on my Twitter and Facebook. Today I’m really going. My past eight days have been spent with and amazing cohort of my new friends, while learning from an incredible group of staff,...
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Departure Day: The Start of a New Journey
Munyaradzi Munyati
2015-08-27
Finally, the journey that I have been preparing myself for since that special April evening has begun. All the waiting and frantic running around to get this vaccine and that visa has ended up with me on the airport floor preparing myself for a 9+ hour flight. One would think that after packing up and...
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Ready together
Brooke Donner
2015-08-27
Last night we danced. Senegalese pop music bounced off the trunks of centuries-old redwood trees as we encircled a campfire and attempted to follow the lead of our dance instructor Christian, a fellow Senegal Fellow from Germany (I’m still not sure why he knew the routine, but he sure knew it). Our feet moved quickly...
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Why Not?
Maya Panicker
2015-08-27
When informing peers of my imminent bridge year in Senegal, the response usually starts out the same: Where the heck is Senegal? After explaining to them that, yes, Senegal is a real country and, no, it’s not one of those tiny island nations, they begin to ask the real question. Why? Why would I choose...
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A Journal Entry Into Mindfulness
Noah Hapke
2015-08-27
It’s about time to leave for Quito, and the transformation is already extraordinary. Sitting in the Redwoods, my back against a sixty-five foot tree, I have began to learn that comfort lies within one’s self, probably, more than expected. Leaving my home in Huntington Beach, my family and friends, everything I had grown accustomed to,...
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Bridge of Serendipity
Alice Wong
2015-08-27
When people ask me why I am taking a bridge year, I always have my answer ready. I would respond succinctly that I have an intense desire to gain maturity, as I will not be eighteen upon entering college. I want to understand the local culture, learn Spanish and learn how to dance. I want...
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Let the Adventure Begin!
Abigail Foy
2015-08-27
August 26, 2015 Welcome to my blog! I can’t believe the time has come to begin this journey! I would like to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about me. My name is Abby Foy, a recent Los Gatos High School graduate and a member of University of Puget Sound’s class...
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