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
La Gringa con la mochila azul
Callista Helms
2018-02-06
Every time I took a standardized test in school I would simply check off the box that said White/ Caucasian. Growing up, I never stood out or was targeted because I had the privilege of being a middle to an upper-class white girl. I have never had a problem fitting in, but now it is...
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Feel it All
McKenna Daily
2018-02-05
Feel it all for this moment, let it pass. Since arriving in Quito, and starting this song, I have felt excitement, loss, wonder, fear, connection, and love stronger than ever before. Now, having tea with my host mom who I now truly love, I still feel all those emotions, but they don’t scare me,...
Read MoreWhy I Have Enjoyed The College Application Process
Jamie Constantine
2018-02-05
When people learn I’ve applied to college during my time here in Ecuador the responses I usually receive are a mix of a painful grunt and an apology. This type of response has time and time again left me confused. Most people I’ve spoken with, current college students or current Global Citizen Year Fellows, associate...
Read MoreON FAMILY
Christopher Chieng
2018-02-04
A few weeks ago, I was sitting on the bus with my host mom, going on our usual Sunday trip to Atuntaqui to buy groceries. I was letting her know that I would be gone for the week, visiting some of my friends in the south of Ecuador. As we descended from the bus, I...
Read MoreInside Global Citizen Year: Shukura, Khuda, and Leandra
Antony Le
2018-02-04
Meet the Ecuador Southern Cohort fellows: Shukura, Khuda, and Leandra, and hear about their unique stories before, during, and after their gap year with Global Citizen Year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idNps9jHPgY
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Vamos – Ecuador: Mid-Year Video
Antony Le
2018-02-03
Take a look into my experiences in Ecuador so far. In this video, you will see footage of the schools I teach in and the city I live in, Guachapala, as well as some sights from Giron, Banos de Ambato, and Pailon de Diablo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=[vc_video link=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DefKPs18Bhg&t=20s’]&t=20s
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Oh Rice, How I Hate You
Jamie Constantine
2018-01-27
Many fellows have been counting down the days until we leave Ecuador and for various reasons. Sometimes its big and obvious reasons, they miss their family and friends, and, sometimes its for small reasons that add up, missing driving a car and the familiarity of their town. I started counting down the days until I...
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The Stories We Tell
Joseph Hansen
2018-01-24
I come home from a long day at work, just after dusk, I’m happy my host father is returning from Otovalo and he picks me up on the road back to my house, saving me a 15-20 minute walk littered with ‘cute’ dogs (who probably want to kill me). We stop at our...
Read MoreEcuadorian Card Games
Regina Markert
2018-01-23
My American family visited me in December. It’s hard to put into words just how excited I was to see them after four long months, but along with my excitement came anxiety about them meeting my Ecuadorian family. My mother and brother have beginner/intermediate Spanish, while my dad can just about only say “hola” and...
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Cuenca Escape Room – As Told by Gifs
Marissa Emerson
2018-01-23
January 20th I tried out Cuenca Escape Room with JuliaGrace, Khuda, and Dale and had an awesome time! Though no phones are allowed in the room, these gifs pretty much sum up a good amount of the experience. We’ll be going back in February to try out their new zombie themed room when it opens!...
Read MoreDear Steven Frost,
Allison Vaught
2018-01-21
Dear Steven Frost, With not much time left as I write this to you on December 18, 2017 I am thinking back on all the laughs and smiles you brought into my life. You are one strong little boy who has experienced a loss that no little boy should ever have to experience when you...
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An Open Letter to Expats Living in Cotacachi, EDITED
Danny DeBare
2018-01-21
Located in between Otavalo and Ibarra, the center of Cotacachi is a town in the Imbabura Province of Northern Ecuador where I am living this year. A city that centers around tourism, leather, and oil revenue, Cotacachi keeps its streets well kept, well lit, and safe. Cotacachi consists of around 15,000 Mestizos (People who can...
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