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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Class Year
Country
Dogugol – Run
Sidney Stevens
2017-03-17
The neighbor’s rooster sounds my first wakeup alarm. I snooze until the morning call to prayer warbles its way from the mosque and through my window. Rubbing my eyes I leave my room to drink from the communal cup which sits atop the family’s clay water sion. My host mother already kneels outside on her...
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PHOTO ESSAY.
Mariana Ossa
2017-03-17
A recollection of photos with descriptions about places, activities and things of my host community and life in Dindefelo. Hope you like it J THE DINDEFELO CASCADE. It’s my favorite place to relax or have a fun time with friends, and it’s only a 30 min hike from my homestay! THE DINDEFELO GARAGE...
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Darwin Lopez
2017-03-17
3 Weeks I remeber when it was the first week of ICO in Dakar, I just wanted to go pack my bags and catch the next flight home. I wasnt sure that I had made the right decision on taking this gap year program with having my host family and I getting robbed on the...
Read MoreRokku Mi Rokka
Delaney McKinley
2017-03-16
Rokku Mi Rokka This is the story of how toothless smiles, free bissap juice, and endless repetitions of catch helped me to find my purpose. I’ve read multiple, nearly identical, testimonies of moving to a foreign land, being pushed to incomprehensible limits, and then discovering a newfound strength and confidence that was hidden deep within....
Read MoreBlog#5 Mealtime
Nyles Davidheiser
2017-03-15
This written blog will give an overview of the most important meal of the day here in Senegal- Lunch (Añe) served between hours 2:00pm-3:00pm where you are served the signature dish Fish & Rice (Thiebu Dieune) The conversation is in French & Wolof intermixed but following is the English translation. Note: Bassirou-Bass is Nyles-Me Family: Bass…Kaay...
Read MoreHome Stretch?
Dora Lee
2017-03-15
“Are you ready, Dora?! You’re in the home stretch!” *cringes, crawls under baobab tree, goes into fetal position* People keep using the phrase “home stretch” to describe where I am currently at in my year, the final month of my journey in Senegal. But what I picture when hearing those words, a baseball player running...
Read MoreThe best of senegal, and the parts I struggle with
Elise Petersen
2017-03-14
I keep trying to find the words to describe what I’m experiencing. When family and friends ask about my life I find myself wanting to tell them all about the wonderful pieces of Senegal. I often fail to mention anything that makes this year seem less than perfect, but there is so much more to...
Read MoreWalk To Work
Isabel Najjar
2017-03-04
I mentioned in an earlier post how lucky I feel to have such a beautiful walk to work. In an effort to share that with my friends and family, and to give people an idea of what my world here looks like, I made this little video. Enjoy! [vc_video link=’https://vimeo.com/206698606′]
Read MoreA Chinois in Kedougou
Anh Tu Lu
2017-03-04
Living in Senegal, nothing bugs me more than the word chinois. As I walk across Kédougou City on my way to work, the horror starts when I cross the elementary school’s territory. There would always be large groups of kids running around, playing ‘Spot the Chinois.’ Rather than stopping to greet them, I instinctively speed-walked through the playground,...
Read MoreFinishing Strong and the power of Willpower
Kyle Healy
2017-03-03
I am so sorry that these are just huge blocks of text. I write all of my blogs on NotePad, so formatting is a little wonky. Finding the strength to finish out my last few months has been extremely challenging. Whether the task is something as trivial as getting out of bed and actually starting my...
Read MoreRe-Immersing and the month of January
Kyle Healy
2017-03-03
Nothing to bring you back to reality like being attacked by a swarm of bees. You’re probably wondering what I mean by that, and that’s a good question! I’ll try to explain. The past month or so has been relatively difficult for me. I am extremely lucky that my family was able to visit me, but I would...
Read MoreDindefelo and TS2
Kyle Healy
2017-03-03
A Week in North Carolina? I spent the past week of my life in the village of Dindefelo, a small town right at the southernmost part of Senegal. Pressed right up against the Guinean border, Dindefello’s name literally translates to “beside a mountain” and the translation is entirely fitting. The week was great, as I got to reconnect with fellows around...
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