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
Fiestas & Cajas
Amelia Joss
2019-11-04
This weekend was the Fiestas de Cuenca, which is basically a four day long celebration of Cuenca’s independence. The city comes alive with thousands of people, tents selling artisan goods, bands performing, and flags in the streets. Charlie and I spent Friday afternoon walking around the festival and meeting up with Aya and Alissa. My...
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Where I’m At
Charlie Dickerson
2019-11-04
I apologize for taking so long, yet again, to give another update; I'll try to get better about writing more frequently. Since I last wrote, a lot has gone on down here in Ecuador. To best explain what has happened, we have to go back to a meeting that took place last spring between Ecuadorian...
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The Paro Blog
Elise Rockwell
2019-10-26
They said October would be hard. And it has been. Just not in the way I expected. For 12 days, national protests paralyzed the entire country of Ecuador because of a new deal the president signed involving the IMF (International Monetary Fund.) I could go into specifics but you can read up on that in...
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The "paro" is over, now what?
Sofia Santos
2019-10-25
In the Kichwa language the phrase “yanka shimi,” means a useless language, one that is often used by mamas and taitas when referring to their native tongue with their children. Many of the younger indigenous population are encouraged to only speak Spanish in order to assimilate into mainstream culture. There are also no Kichwa classes in Ecuador’s...
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How Food Can Strengthen Relationships
Maya Holcomb
2019-10-25
The expansive table of goodies we enjoyed for Dylan’s cumpleaños Part of the Global Citizen Year curriculum is to deliver a speak-up, a short speech, to your cohort. This is an opportunity to gain public speaking skills in a safe environment, and an opportunity for Fellows to share their experiences with their peers and supervisors....
Read MoreAs Prepared as Possible
'Los
2019-10-21
I like being prepared. I like knowing what is going to happen, what to bring, and what I need to know; just how to be as ready as possible. I want to know the game plan. Before I went on my gap year I talked to people to try and prepare myself. I knew that...
Read MoreLive From The Field
Emily Marin
2019-10-18
Pig On September 20, 2019 I went to a festival called Killa Raymi. A moon festival for the Cañari people. I was nothing short of an amazement with the traditional dances, clothing and rienas. It was definitely an experience but not in a good way. I went to go walk with my little cousin Martin(8)...
Read MoreRethinking the purpose of my gap year
Aniska Bitomsky
2019-10-17
As you guys know the situation over the past few weeks in Ecuador has been everything but pleasant. Without wanting to go into too much detail, the president cut the subsidies on fuel, protests broke out, public transportation strikes prevented any normal routine from happening and the indigenous were marching. The chaos of the country...
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Finding Flow & Feelings of Family
Sadie Price-Elliott
2019-10-15
I have started to sing again. It came back slowly– at first, quietly humming the chorus of Cornelia Street to myself while peeling potatoes amid the afternoon chaos in the restaurant. Then, it grew louder and more persistent: at the table after almuerzo, in and out of the shower, while hanging my clothes on the...
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The Longest Week Ever
Amelia Joss
2019-10-13
(Alternatively titled: “Chaos Reigns and Trump Isn’t Even Here!” – Thanks for the suggestion, Dad.) I have not left Sayausí in nine days. Let’s be honest, I have barely left my house in nine days. Just over a week ago, Ecuador entered a state of emergency as people took to the streets to protest the...
Read MoreAnother blog
Aniska Bitomsky
2019-10-12
Hey guys, First, Thank you for following this email blog type of thingy! However, to be honest, I have been increasingly annoyed by this format as it does not allow me to include as many pictures as I would like to or format everything as nicely. So, I decided to create my own personal blog...
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Ecuatime
Charlie Dickerson
2019-10-10
This post is long overdue; I'm actually going to fill you in on a noteworthy day a couple of weeks ago. Before I begin, I would like to define the title of this post. Ecuatime is a way of life. Down here, people move at a different pace. That means that, if you are invited...
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