APPLY
  • Program
  • Admissions
  • Speakers
  • Alumni
  • About Us
APPLY
  • Why Join
  • Experience
  • Apprenticeships
  • South Africa
  • FAQs
  • Admissions
  • Tuition & Aid
  • Eligibility Quiz
  • Request Info
  • Alumni Stories
  • Community Hub
  • Fellowship
  • Academy
  • Our Story
  • Our Impact
  • Our Team
  • News & Press
  • For Educators
  • Donate

Flight

Here we are in to Atlanta – flying over it at the moment.  “Starting our descent.”  Left at 4 am this morning to the extenuating circumstances of leaving 31 soul-mates that I met last week.  I am awake to say the most of this situation, since I have been falling in and out of a doze for the past several (few?) hours, next to ‘Martin’ of Belguim on the plane (Delta Airlines).  He is a calm cheery level-headed person to have along on a plane-ride away.

Now we are on the plane to Quito.  People were telling me to get some sleep.  Yesterday, as a farewell activity, we did a string-tie with Abby.  We each shared something we commit to, and then passed on the ball of yarn.  Abigail, who is sitting next to me on the plane, committed to ‘embracing the unexpected’.  My piece of string that is currently tied around my ankle signifies my promise to love the entirety of this experience.  I’d begun to think this trip would be good for some people without thinking that I would, or needed to change as well.  It is extremely endearing to be broken up into country groups and be sharing the experience of a stormy ride toEcuadoras unique.  Abigail saw some lightening and we are in a dark cloud.  It was gloriously sunny before, above the palaces of clouds, but the skies change.  Especially going at 904 km/hr. Cuba is carrying a mess of storms about its shores.  It is perfect for writing in this dark, dim lighting- perfect almost, as it is personal; unadulterated and free-flowing in the just-gleaming light.

We are sitting next to a young man named David, from Quito.  His father works in Washington.  Abigail understands español bastante (quite) well…possibly because her mother is a Spanish professor.  This plane is full of Ecuadorians and some stares, so that it felt like foreign territory even as we set foot on the plane.  Their features do seem to share some Asian characteristics.  I got quite excited to start learning Spanish.  David is nice and friendly, but he is reading an english book “Awakening” about vampires, which he does not understand much of.

I am enjoying immersing.  After two weeks of intense environment and encouragement to speak and communicate, we are thrown her -, where truly you must be okay with listening and lying back…Which is just as well, because I’ve lost my voice.  Quito-here you come.

Priyanka Rao

About Priyanka Rao


At home in both San Jose, California, and Varanasi, India, Priyanka is truly bi-cultural. She enjoys journaling, dancing, and writing poetry. She helped start a Reading and Writing Club at her school, and her love of creative writing recently took her to the final round of the Gunderson Poetry Slam.

gcy logo
Take Action Lab
  • Why Join
  • Experience
  • Apprenticeships
  • South Africa
  • Take Action Lab FAQs
Academy
  • Why Join
  • Experience
  • Speakers
  • Academy Stories
  • Academy FAQs
Fellowship
  • Why Join
  • Experience
  • Destinations
  • Fellowship Stories
  • Fellowship FAQs
Admissions
  • Admissions
  • Tuition & Aid
  • Gap Year Resources
About Us
  • Our Story
  • Our Impact
  • Our Team
  • News & Press
  • For Educators
  • Community Hub
  • Instructor Hub
  • Careers

1625 Clay Street, Suite 400, Oakland, CA 94612
info@globalcitizenyear.org
415-963-9293

Have Admissions Questions?
Check out our FAQs or email our team at admissions@globalcitizenyear.org

Press Inquiries: Please contact Molly Weissman:
media@globalcitizenyear.org

Privacy Policy

© 2023 - Global Citizen Year