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
Views on Sex
Ilana Marder-Eppstein
2014-02-03
Being my father’s daughter, I could not take my eyes off the screen, even though the movie was absolutely terrible. I was sitting in the back row of the coach bus, heading home from my Spanish class in the nearest city. Each Wednesday, I take a series of eight buses to get to and from my Spanish class in...
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What My Work Is
Leah Mesh-Ferguson
2014-02-03
As I’ve mentioned in past blog posts, I’ve been struggling with inactivity at my apprenticeship. I work with Plan International, an international children’s rights NGO, in an office in the northeast part of Riobamba. While I’ve often struggled with the idea that “there’s nothing for me to do,” I’ve recently realized how much I’ve learned...
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We Speak Up
Emily Brett
2014-02-03
*** As fellows of Global Citizen Year we are expected to participate in a “Speak Up” presentation. This leadership challenge not only allows fellows to share personal stories, idea or thoughts with the cohort, but also allows us to develop crucial critical thinking and public speaking skills. While in Ayampe, last weekend for Training Seminar...
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Because Mother Leaped with Faith
Soe Tha
2014-02-03
Anyone in the United States who´s ever written a college essay knows the “my parent is an immigrant” story. We kids of immigrant parents write to colleges for acceptance because our parents left their homelands, because they’ve busted their tails, because they want us to have better futures. I did it. My peers did it. This year’s applicants did...
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What is work?
Lauren Guido
2014-02-03
As I reach my four month anniversary of living in Ecuador I realize that my perspectives of what is considered work have been challenged by the work experiences I have endured as well as observed. At my previous apprenticeship I worked at an ecotourism museum called Kamak Maki, which consisted of Kichwa artifacts, a zoo, a medicinal garden, a natural...
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Resolutions and Revelations
Lillie Mayfield
2014-02-03
Happy New Year everyone! I realize we’re halfway through January already, and I probably should have posted this earlier, but, if only for my own sake, I thought I would share with you all some of my New Year’s resolutions for 2014. I’ve never really been one for making New Year’s resolutions. In the past...
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Losing Sight of My Shore
Abigail Clavin
2014-02-03
I am from a small coastal town in New England. When I think of my childhood one of the first things that comes to mind is the ocean — days spent on the beach or fishing on our family boat. My whole life has somewhat been shaped by the ocean and I consider it my rock. The salty cool...
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Navigating the Public Health System
Isaiah Fischer-Brown
2014-01-24
When I’m not with my host family or in Spanish class, the majority of my time during the week is spent as a public health volunteer through the Tandana Foundation*. This foundation coordinates a variety of local service projects, hosts groups of American volunteers, and also provides scholarships to rural Ecuadorian students to continue their...
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Finding Home
Conner Evans
2014-01-24
As a Global Citizen Year Fellow, the holidays are tough. At a time when you normally expect to be surrounded by family, friends, and the holiday spirit, it can be a little disconcerting to experience different customs in a different country surrounded by different faces. Throughout my life I have become used to certain traditions...
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The Danger of a Single Story
Abigail Dring
2014-01-24
I have a power over you, me as the writer and you as the reader, whether you know it or not. I have the power to shape your view of Ecuador through my writing. Since you, my blog followers, have for the most part never never been to Ecuador, and most likely know little to...
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How my holiday season was spent in Ecuador.
Charles Hill
2014-01-24
I have been extremely busy and apologize for not writing sooner, but hey it’s better late than never. The first thing I want everyone to know is that I am now living with a new host family. I currently live with my host mom, Ruby, two nineteen year old host sisters, Nicky and Natalie, and my 21 year old...
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Family
Claire Wohlers
2014-01-24
Back at home, I know many many people who would describe their parents as mortifying and/or uncool to hangout with. Occasionally, I may even have been known to say this, even though I love hanging out with my parents. In the US, it is social convention for teenagers to hate their parents. To be seen...
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