Fellow Stories

A -not so- letter to myself

Julieta Lechini

2017-08-17

My life seems to change suddenly from a moment to another. Where I am and what I do. And so am I. Letters to yourself are supposed to be read by you some time later in life, to see those changes and be proud –or not- of whom you are now. My name is Julieta...

Je veux que les baobabs m’embrassent… I want the baobabs to kiss me?!?!

Ebunoluwa Akinbode

2017-08-17

Welp, six years of middle and high school French probably didn’t prepare me for this. In an effort to be mystical and romantic I tried to tell a friend in French that while in Senegal I hope to be embraced by the baobabs- as a metaphor for being welcomed into the community- but instead only...

Embracing the Unexpected

Katie Dodge

2017-08-15

A year ago I had my life figured out.  Well, not my life, but certainly the next five years. The summer before my senior year of high school, I spent a lot of time thinking about the future, mentally planning what would happen after I received my diploma: I would go to some Ivy League...

Expectations vs Reality

Kara Esplin

2017-08-15

 Amidst the rush to obtain our visas, packing, and say our goodbyes to family and friends, there is a mix of mystery and anticipation in the air. Our cohort group chat is bustling with questions, advice, speculations, and the occasional funny video from Trevor. With only a few weeks until departure, this is a time of reflection. Many of...

My Pre-Departure Global Citizen Year Story

Wyatt Foster

2017-08-14

When I first thought of going to college, as I began my college apps nearly a year ago, I was excited for all the same things my friends were looking forward to. The prospect of decorating a dorm room, having classes I was passionate about, and way more freedom than I was used to, were...

So Long, Sayonara, See You Later: Goodbye In My Own Language

Elise Leise

2017-08-14

​ Au revoir. Ba beneen. Mornings spent struggling with vowels on Rosetta Stone have equipped me with basic French. My small, yellow Wolof phrasebook, sure to remain my trusty sidekick throughout the year, helps me bid adieu in a Senegalese language totally foreign to me. Yet the translation in English is the hardest to say....

No Preconceptions

Miniya Ali

2017-08-13

As an African American I've always had a cloudy idea of what and who Africa is. I've been left to sort of fill the gaps and ponder the endless different lifestyles and philosophies that exist on the vast continent. However this time I've decided to approach Africa with a blank canvas. I won't assign any...

journal entry #001 → unreal

Stephanie Sanchez-Aguilar

2017-08-10

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide Home. What’s that mean? I guess it’s different for everyone. I have two places that I call home. One is an apartment that my family rents in Chelsea, a little city outside of Boston, five minute...

It’s A Trip! -Joywave

2017-08-05

If by happenstance you ever find your eyes analyzing the stunning yet complacent midwestern skyline of Louisville, Kentucky, your eyes will bear witness to three features: the towering steel testaments to corporate ingenuity we laymen and women call skyscrapers, the various monolithic steeples ominously signaling impending religious exercises, and the few fading factories of the...

Erik oline blog entry 1

Erik Oline

2017-08-04

T-minus 23 Days First off, I would like to thank all the people that have made my gap year possible. Thank you to all my teachers that motivated me through high school. Thank you to my friends and family who are supporting my year abroad. Thank you to all the people that donated toward my...

Packing Makes It Real

Miniya Ali

2017-08-03

The time I have here in America is dwindling and its not necessarily a bad thing. In fact I find my self being hyper aware of the little things I might not have when I’m in Africa. Ever since I got the amazing news that I would become a global citizen year fellow, I’ve been...

High School Seniors, Listen Up.

Elise Leise

2017-08-02

  Transcripts. Letters of recommendation. Freaking out over the relative merits of extracurricular activities. It’s August, and college application season is officially upon us, marking the final culmination of the high school experience. It seems as if the school of your choice will decide your success, wealth, and happiness for life. Not in actuality. But...