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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Kōtahi te whakaahua, e hea kē nei ngā kupu ka puta…
Ayla Blair-Smith
2018-05-22
Kia Ora, Kua roa ahau i rāwāhi e noho ana, engari kua tae ki te wā me hoki ki tērā o ngā wāhi e noho pūmau ana ki tōku ngākau, ki te haukāinga, ki Aotearoa. I a au e hāereere ana i te ao, ko tōku Whaea tērā e waea mai ana me te pātai...
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On my way to school
Marta Allegue Souto
2018-05-17
I blow one more time on my sugary ginger chai before I leave to school, as if trying to avoid getting my tongue burnt was going to prove how strong I was feeling that morning. I say a quick goodbye to Neha, my host mum, and I close the door. After the first stretch of...
Read MoreSampling the Bridge Year — GCY India Capstone
Sunghoon Kwak
2018-05-12
For my Global Citizen Year capstone project, I chose to cut up a video containing small one-second clips from several days of my bridge year. Although each clip is seemingly insignificant, as I strung them together, the collective experiences blossomed into something that symbolized my entire year; bits and pieces of memories woven into each...
Read MoreClosing Capstone of a year, to a Lifetime of Curiosity
Isabel Hallock
2018-05-03
For the final closing project of my Global Citizen Bridge Year, I presented to my old Black Nationalism class. My old teacher Mr. Green had called me the night before and said the vlass was studying about India and the Bandung conference, and was wondering if I could speak more on the ties between India...
Read MoreLittle Did You Know
Ayla Blair-Smith
2018-04-18
I realised that despite my "profound observations" during my stay in India, I never got around to explaining the simple things; my daily routine. I never once explained this to parents, nor close friends mainly because I was constantly overwhelmed by new things and the obscurity of those things until eventually they became normal to...
Read MoreHow are ya feeling?
Glory Jacquat
2018-04-07
unready- like I'm saying goodbye to my life again. I've packed my life into two bags once again, with a backpack soon to be strapped to me, yet my life spills out everywhere, as if I had never packed in the first place. its an intangible context- sure, I need clothes to cover my body,...
Read MoreThe First Goodbyes
Sy Richardson Dragon
2018-03-31
This Thursday I said goodbye to all the students I’ve been teaching for the past seven months. The class wrote me notes, many of which asked me to stay or at the very least “come back monthly”. The concept of a visa and, well, money was a bit lost on them, but I was thankful...
Read MoreTo Myself:
Meaghan Coulter
2018-03-29
When you’ve thought of home, you’ve thought of a warm cat caressed in your arms, the cold kiss of an evening’s snowfall, and the soothing idea of a simple rest on a plush mattress. You even missed the notion of the unique feeling you’ve found that can only come with the relief of tears. But...
Read MoreDomestic Dogs are Overfed
Meaghan Coulter
2018-03-29
I noticed because they struggle when they walk and their waists nearly extend past their ribs, but I was told they’re usually fed rice. Maybe, to an extent, that is not ideal, but food will be food. I see strays on the street with abundance as well; appearing contaminated, dreaming of rice, struggling to walk....
Read MoreMy 3 host families
Robin Kershner
2018-03-29
1 family for 1 year is the idea, in the hopes that we will be somewhat part of the family by the end. I have seen my some of my friends blend into their host families. And, for some of them, it seems like they have grown closer to their families in India, than they...
Read MoreA Final Toast
Sunghoon Kwak
2018-03-27
I’d like to raise a toast to all the people who guided us through our days here in India. You know, there are a lot of factors that go into a “thriving” year. Of course, it’s no surprise when the fellows just happen to be phenomenal. I mean look at us. Look how great we...
Read More“Dear Mama”
Robin Kershner
2018-03-25
Here is descriptive writing , the first of 3 in a series of small journals titled “ Dear Mama”. I wrote them with in the first month of being in India. They represent things were going on and feelings I wanted to tell my mom but for some reason never planned on sending them to...
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