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
Impact
David Jenkins
2014-09-10
During our time in Stanford we were required to define what impact meant to us. The immediate thought that came to my mind is head trauma. This is a physical impact and not the correct intention of the seminar, but was the only kind type that I could truly relate to. I remember when my...
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Finding My Pieces of Home
Jillian Doke
2014-09-07
During our training at Stanford, we were asked to observe a place for 30 minutes and document our experience. I decided to wander over to the beautiful chapel on campus, and realized how little I actually notice when I don’t take the time to step back. Being inside that church gave me such a peace...
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Laundry Day
Hadiyah Grubish
2014-09-06
Today was laundry day. Today I washed clothes the “traditional way.” Today I soaked all the clothes I brought with me to this beautiful country in brightly colored buckets in the hot sunshine of our roof. Today I bent over a shallow concrete sink much shorter than I for hours scrubbing every minuscule piece of...
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Coincidence in Quito
Aliana Ruxin
2014-09-04
We were about to leave the hostel, to cross the street and meet our Quito host families. I hoisted my backpack onto my back, grabbed my small duffel bag and reached for my rolling duffel. Balancing everything, I took a deep breath and prepared myself to exit the hostel. Looking down at my rolling duffel,...
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Un Nuevo Amigo
Bennett Quintard
2014-09-04
As we sat at a table in La Cuchara de San Marcos with our new friend, Pablo Salme, the sun setting over the awe inspiring Andes, he told us why he chose to help us that day. Here is a translation of Pablo Salme’s words: “When I see that you are happy, it makes me...
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Where I’m Meant to Be
Aliana Ruxin
2014-09-03
Last Thursday morning, on the first day of Pre-Departure Training, Abby Falik welcomed the 2015 Fellows with an inspiring speech. More emotions than I could count filled my heart as I thought about the journey I was about to begin, the friendships I was about to cultivate and the challenges I was about to encounter....
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Together We Can
Hannah Phalen
2014-09-02
There have been only a few times in my life where after only a short time with a group of people, I feel comfortable and supported. These have been the times when we all have a something very strong in common. This time, we all are scared out of our minds yet so excited… but also...
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Awakening
Samantha Srok
2014-09-02
The plane is flying over Quito for the first time and we see the lights of the city. I have been waiting five months for this moment. “We are here,” I think to myself, “We are actually finally here.” My heart has been pounding heavy for the past week, and most of that is excitement,...
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Home is Where the Heart is, and my Heart is Now with Me
Georgia Reid
2014-09-01
[“House At Pooh Corner” – Loggins & Messina] (Also, I recommend reading “The Tao of Pooh”) One of the invited speakers during Pre-Departure Training (PDT) at Stanford, Ian Slattery, led a simple, illuminating storytelling exercise: with closed eyes, he said one word and gave us 30 seconds to recall stories that were triggered by that...
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Monkey Bars and Onions
Bailey Bullock
2014-08-31
Over the past week, we took part in Pre-Departure Training. We began at Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds in Occidental, California, among some of the country’s largest and beautiful trees, and ended the training on the well known Stanford University campus. During PDT, we have had the privilege to hear from some of the most amazing...
Read More Self: A person’s complete individuality
Hadiyah Grubish
2014-08-31
The notion of “self” is an odd one. The idea that we as people can be completely summed up into this one entity is so abstract, so indefinite that it’s hard to grasp on to. People make entire careers, base all of their goals, and develop views of the world based solely on the idea...
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Taking Flight
Laurel Rogers
2014-08-23
I am sitting at Gate A in the Atlanta airport, waiting to board my flight to San Francisco, watching the commotion of thousands of others rushing by me. I can’t help but wonder about them. Where are they from? Where are they going? What did they pack in their suitcases? Do they enjoy traveling? Are...
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