Fellow Stories
True gap year stories from Fellows abroad!
Check out the latest blogs from Global Citizen Year Fellows in Brazil, Ecuador, and India!
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Class Year
Country
Three Months Fifteen Days
Ebunoluwa Akinbode
2018-07-29
The Sunsets are the Same The sun rises From the east And sets in the west Carpobrotus edulis Adenium obesum Verbenas and ‘Alice du Pont’ Mandevilla Different but the same rise and set of swirls Verbenas and ‘Alice du Pont’ Mandevilla Carpobrotus edulis Adenium obesum And sets in the west From the east The sun...
Read MoreThree Months Fifteen Days
Ebunoluwa Akinbode
2018-07-29
The Sunsets are the Same The sun rises From the east And sets in the west Carpobrotus edulis Adenium obesum Verbenas and ‘Alice du Pont’ Mandevilla Different but the same rise and set of swirls Verbenas and ‘Alice du Pont’ Mandevilla Carpobrotus edulis Adenium obesum And sets in the west From the east The sun...
Read More5 Second Claim to Fame
Talia Drayton
2018-06-26
One of the positive things about being young is a sense of reckless confidence that allows one to do some pretty wacky and amazing things. It is the same type of energy that carries us through our gap years, and makes us think it is possible to come out alive on the other side. So when...
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The Lions of Senegal
Talia Drayton
2018-06-26
If you are ever fortunate enough to live or visit Senegal, there are 3 main types of lion that you MUST know about. Lions, the Lions of Teranga, and the Simb. This is the lion that most people think of: The lions on the soccer field (Lions of Teranga) AND….. The Simbel (The...
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles Pt. 2
Talia Drayton
2018-06-25
Auto: Maybe you are unwilling to sacrifice comfort and convenience over money and more money. That’s totally fine. If you can afford such luxuries, you have the option of renting out a personal driver. Either that or you rented a car from a dealer, or even own your own car and had it...
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles Pt. 1
Talia Drayton
2018-06-25
This blog post is a little bit on the lengthy side, so I’m splitting it into two parts. You’re welcome 🙂 Oh, the places you’ll go! There are many beautiful sights and scenes to see in Senegal. Perhaps you crave the natural beauty of Kedougou. Or the cultural charms of Saint...
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Maclovia San Martín
Leila Merzenich
2018-06-22
The thing that’s been hardest about being back home is how much I miss my host mom Maclovia, or Maco. Maco showed me how to be compassionate even when it might be easier to think of only yourself and how to be a strong leader within the community. To support her own family of 5...
Read MoreLive From The Field
Allison Vaught
2018-06-18
Beyond the Classroom: My Life in Ecuador Or the Alternative title: $6.00 is a Ridiculous Price for a Coffee In Ecuador people don’t wear seatbelts. I learned that right away with my host family as we drove places together each week. We had five people in the family car and it was very foreign not...
Read MoreThe best Teacher
Ashtin Laurion
2018-06-16
Being back home has been a roller coaster. I’ve loved being able to talk about Senegal but also hate it. I’ve missed Touba Toule but also happy I’m back. Honestly speaking, I miss my people in the cohort and especially Sen Bi Diallo, my language teacher. I’m able to honestly live life a little differently...
Read MoreFinal Reflection Blog
Natalie Choi
2018-06-15
Since I have come back from Ecuador, countless people have asked me about my experience. And I’ve realized that I always talk about Ecuador nicely; not because I’m scared of offending anyone or because I want to battle against the stereotypes, but because I actually, truly love Ecuador. I love how I could see the...
Read MoreCapstone Reflection: A very long, jumbled page of unfinished thoughts and run-on sentences
Layla Solatan
2018-06-08
[vc_video link=’https://youtu.be/AqGHF_Y7lGQ’] Coming back from Ecuador, I’ve been asked countless times, “How was it? What’s Ecuador like? Your experience?” If you’re one of these people, I’ve probably failed to answer your question. I probably answered with something along the lines of, “Umm… great! *awkward laugh*” I hope you didn’t take this as, “I don’t have...
Read MoreThe End
Sy Richardson Dragon
2018-06-08
For my capstone I presented to a few of my high school classes about my experience doing GCY. I was reminded of my junior and senior year when it really seemed there was only one path, or only one "right" path, after high school. I told students how I wished there was someone telling me...
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