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
Measuring Success
Avery Ashwill
2013-02-26
I came to Brazil with a yard stick. Physically, no, that would be absurd, but mentally, yes. I had this idea that I would use this yard stick to measure my success. There were three elements that I decided should count for one foot of my yard stick: apprenticeship, host family, and personal growth. So...
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Community Garden Video Project
Ava Hoffman
2013-02-26
For my Global Citizen Year community project, fellow Fellow Camille LeBlanc and I are planning to build a garden in the backyard of Bagunçaço, a youth cultural center in Salvador. Watch this video to learn more about our idea in promoting environmental awareness and health consciousness and to hear why one young man who frequents Bagunçaço wants to be involved...
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Capão Video Project
Ava Hoffman
2013-02-25
Follow this link to view my video project from our orientation month in the beautiful Vale do Capão!
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Identity Below The Equator
Drew Hayes
2013-02-13
The definition of “gringo” is hard to pin down. The basic element is being a foreigner. Being white and pasty is a large component. Being from a northern hemisphere, Anglo-Saxon society is another big one. Being wealthy is important also. The cherry on top is the gringo accent. Whatever it may be, apparently I’m about...
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Day in Rickys Life
Dianne Perez
2013-02-13
Day in Rickys Life Video Ricardo, a fifteen-year-old teenage boy, lives in Lençóis, a small city in the interior of Bahia. Loved by many people in his community, he is known as “Boa Sorte” because instead of saying goodbye he gives a nice warm good luck. His dream is to move to Rio de Janeiro...
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The Right Mix
Benito Aranda-Comer
2013-01-30
Finding the right equilibrium between realism and idealism has been my most intriguing and difficult experience here in Brazil. Every day I am faced with choices of how to prioritize my time, who to invest in relationships with, and where to think critically about that which I’ve experienced. For the most part there is a clear-cut ‘right choice’ and...
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How to be Brazilian in 5 Easy Steps (Beginner’s Course)
Avery Ashwill
2013-01-29
1. Hygiene is essential. Have you showered today? If not, do so immediately. Did you shower before you ate breakfast, lunch and dinner? Did you shower before you left the house and upon your return? If not, start incorporating these methods into your daily routine. By looking good and smelling good at all times, your...
Read MoreBeyond The Paper Illusions
Julia Carter
2013-01-22
What do you see in the picture above? Two realities exist, whether you see the young woman or an elderly woman. Illusions like this are meant to make you look twice, to train not only your eyes, but also your imagination to see things in a different perspective. Many aspects of society often beg multiple...
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Negão
Joshua Reason
2013-01-15
People call me by many different names here. I originally introduced myself as “Joshua” to everyone I met, but I soon learned that the “ua” part was difficult to pronounce for some locals. Eventually I started telling people to call me “Josh”, but ending on the “sh” sound was hard for a lot of people...
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Better Late Than Never….
Amalia Rowan
2013-01-14
Although I left the charming town of Capão over three months ago, I never uploaded the video I made of the time I spent there and the people that I met. I don’t take many pictures where I’m living now, so here is something to fill the void in my blog posts, and an update...
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Stranded on the Beach
Drew Hayes
2013-01-09
I remember the buzz about cities. In Ted Talks and magazine articles, people were raving about the efficiency of cities because, according to some grandiose regressions, the larger a city gets the more productive it becomes per capita. Megacities were claimed the future of mankind. I was not impressed. I lived in a mid-sized city...
Read MoreDay in My Life
Dianne Perez
2013-01-09
7 am wake up! Take a nice cold shower to get the heart pumping. (Side note I have not had a hot shower since I left the states) Make some breakfast “caffe de amanha” which usually consist of a fruit salad, cheese sandwich and one scramble egg. Sometimes in the morning, if there is time my host mother and...
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