Fellow Stories

I Miss You, I Miss You Not

Ellie Van Gorden

2018-09-11

Things I Miss: ·         Toilet paper ·         Tissues ·         La Croix/ water that doesn’t taste faintly soapy ·         The luxury of speaking my first language ·         A warm shower ·         Clean air ·         Things to look at on the walls ·         Air conditioning. Air conditioning. Air conditioning. ·         The sound of cicadas at dusk ·        ...

Drop-Off Day

Ellie Van Gorden

2018-09-11

I’m here. I’m finally here. After 5 months of anticipation, uncertainty and a touch of fear I am in my new home. I am in my new room. My things may be somewhat organized in my cabinet and my desk, but the space remains foreign. I keep reading through notes, going through pictures and even...

Kontaana fi ci Senegal: I am happy here in Senegal

Manuel Quesada Nylen

2018-09-10

Its only my third day in my homestay here in Taiba Ndaiye and I can wholeheartedly say Bëgg uma ñiibi Etat Unis. I don’t want to go back to the United States. My days are jam packed with reading the novels I brought with me under the welcoming shade of the mango trees in my...

You are so fat. You must have spent all your time eating.

2018-09-05

I have begun my learning exploration at the customs and the culture of Senegal. There are a couple things that I have found very interesting and at the same time very hard to comprehend. First, Senegal is known for a reputation which is a joking culture. I was not able to understand what that means until...

Human Connections and Personal Reflections

Ellie Van Gorden

2018-09-04

I lay here in my Senegalese hotel bed and feel the humidity of the air. I notice the flowy mosquito net that encapsulates me. My gaze turns to the skies as I make my way up the winding staircase to the rooftop. A slight fog covers the tallest hill in the city, and I take...

An Expectation Shattering Week

Manuel Quesada Nylen

2018-09-01

Looking back on the expectations I held for the week of Global Launch upon arriving here in San Francisco, I can't pinpoint what exactly I thought was in store for me. At the airport, I texted my friend (Shoutout to Phuong, if you're reading this) who had done GCY last year, and she expressed to...

A Bit of a Walkabout Is All

Ellie Van Gorden

2018-08-26

18. That’s how many hours I have left until I leave. Leaving for what? Oh, just a bit of a walkabout is all. *In Australia, a walkabout is a rite of passage into manhood for Aboriginal boys. Now obviously I am neither a boy, nor Aboriginal…but I use this term as a way to describe...

3.53 METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE BETTER BE WORTH IT!

Edin Čusto

2018-08-26

During my time at the UWC in Mostar, where I was born and have lived all my life, I used to joke with my international friends regarding their carbon footprint. Because they needed to travel from their home countries to Mostar and vice versa, their carbon footprint was much higher compared to mine, at least...

Alexander Taylor Blog post #1

Alexander Taylor

2018-08-25

Na nga def (Greetings)! I am getting ready to go on the trip of a lifetime. I first want to thank all of my supporters for providing me with this opportunity! Your help has been truly instrumental!Why is the Opportunity Important to me?1) Personal Growth:Throughout my time in high-school, I was always driven to explore...

LAST DAY IN MA

Manuel Quesada Nylen

2018-08-25

Today is the last day I am in Massachusetts for 9 months. It feels good knowing that I’m going away, despite the nerves and anxiety that come with a trip of this magnitude. I’ve anticipated these feelings of anxiety by enjoying my time here in my comfort zone, so now that I’m leaving I can’t...

On your marks…

Giovanna Hunsrao

2018-08-25

Reporting for Duty – Senegal fellow 2019. Which one? Simple. The one who runs to her vaccinations 2 days before her flight and still hasn’t stuffed her soul with Dim sum that’s who. I’m Giovanna, and you may know me for that or much more than that. Here, I want to add an extension to...

The Little Marta (my first blog)

Marta Shcharbakova

2018-08-24

Once, there was a girl. A girl with brown eyes and brown hair called Marta. Of course, the girl knew a bit more than nothing about the world, so she often used a word ‘little’ to describe herself. ‘Little’ was about her overall knowledge, the significance of her existence, however, it didn’t apply to her...