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
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Reflections Part III: The Power of Moments
Henry Yeary
2018-03-22
Moments come quickly and leave in a flash, but they have the power to change the way we think about the world. Giving myself time to step back and enjoy these rich moments that challenge preconceptions I have about neighboring cultures has been nothing short of invaluable. Yet, there’s no real way to express all...
Read MoreDías Finales en Ecuador
Allison Vaught
2018-03-21
Días Finales en Ecuador There’s something bittersweet about leaving this beautiful place. My heart breaks thinking about having to say goodbye to my host family who have showed so much patience and love, and who took me in way back in September. Their warmth made me feel comfortable in an uncomfortable (at first) situation. I...
Read MoreReflections Part II: From Spanish to Family
Henry Yeary
2018-03-21
I had plenty to learn from this tight-knit community when I first wandered here, back in September. I felt like I knew the world from short vacations with constant movement, but that’s not genuinely understanding a place. By staying in Ambuquí for several months watching the sun rise and set over the same rooted mountains,...
Read MoreMy [Misnomer] Year
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-21
In some ways, this is exactly what its called – a gap year. In other ways, this is anything but. Yes, there is a gap in time on any written document or record of my organized education. It’ll show a high school graduation year a full digit off from the year I start in college....
Read MoreTLTD Vlogs: Day 8
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-20
The Last 30 Days (Day 8): March 14, 2018 Today I wore a really cute outfit (if I do say so myself), had my one-on-one with my Team Leader, Lucia, and did some quick shopping with Maritza. Memory of the Day: Making Maria and Maritza coffee and being told that after 6...
Read MoreTLTD Vlogs: Day 7
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-20
The Last 30 Days (Day 7): March 13, 2018 Today I made a TON of worksheets, witnessed an epic tickle fight between Erick and Chris, and had a solid cup of tea. Memory of the Day: Getting locked in my original host family’s house because Erick didn’t know I was still inside....
Read MoreTLTD Vlogs: Day 6
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-20
The Last 30 Days (Day 6): March 12, 2018 Today I graded lots of papers, hung out with my host sister a bit, and started a new crochet project Memory of the Day: Finding a mistake in the local magazine 😛 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK9-opWldQg[vc_video link=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK9-opWldQg’][vc_video link=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK9-opWldQg’] DONATE to my Global Citizen Year...
Read MoreTLTD Vlogs: Day 5
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-20
The Last 30 Days (Day 5): March 11, 2018 Today I got locked in the house, ate some amazing encebollado, and got a nice surprise in my email. Memory of the Day: My host grandmother, Maria, laughing at me for the majority of the day because of my boots. It’s one of...
Read MoreReflections Part I: Why I Came To Ecuador
Henry Yeary
2018-03-20
Almost all of my life, I’ve felt older than I actually am. I watched my sister and brothers before me grow up and leave the house to explore the world as adults; and, finally, by the time I was a senior in high school there was nothing that I wanted more than to leave the...
Read MoreFrom the outside
Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni
2018-03-19
One thing that has passed through my mind more than once throughout this year is: “What is the biggest challenge, the hardest part about this experience?”, and I think it’s safe to say my answer has changed through the course of my stay. In the beginning I would have said, without a doubt, the...
Read MoreTLTD Vlogs: Day 4
Marissa Emerson
2018-03-17
The Last 30 Days (Day 4): March 10, 2018Today I did a bunch of laundry, filmed a video audition, and watched Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban in Spanish with my host family.Memory of the Day: Taking nearly half an hour trying to make change for my $20 bill to pay $5 for my...
Read MorePeople Watching
Jeannine Contreras
2018-03-17
Since as early as I can remember I have been fascinated by people watching. I never intend to do it, never purposefully set out to turn strangers into curiosities, pieces of art that I puzzle over long after they’ve faded from my view and yet time and time again that is what I find myself...
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