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
Texas vs. Senegal
Barker Carlock
2013-03-12
Although Texas and Senegal have their obvious differences, my encounters thus far have unveiled core belief systems that link the two very dissimilar countries (yes, Texas is a country in its own right, and I will be referring to it as a “country”). Many similarities can be traced back to the religions within both countries....
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Donne-moi une cadeu
Emily Collins
2013-03-11
In the amount of time it takes me to run to the island of Fadiouth and back, I hear an overwhelming amount of ‘toubab’ or foreigner, something like word throw up for many people I have encountered. Recently the phrase, “donne-moi une cadeu,” or give me a gift has also been commonly said. Give me...
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Toubako in Mako
Kevin Do
2013-03-11
One month into village life. One month of being a toubako, or foreigner in the local language of Pulaar. As one, I draw stares from many people, but I’m not the first foreigner in my village of Mako. Actually to call it a village would be wrong considering there’s roughly 3000 people who live in...
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“Africa”
Marisa Comeau-Kerege
2013-03-11
As my time here comes to an end, I was warned to prepare myself for the questions from family, friends and anyone else that will hear I lived in “Africa.” Trying to find a way to explain my life here has proven much more difficult that I anticipated. Finally, it dawned on me that the main problem I was...
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No power, no problem
Marisa Comeau-Kerege
2013-03-11
What happens if the power goes out in America? Life kind of comes to a stand still. Some school districts might cancel school, back up generators would kick in, those without back ups would start freaking out about the food in the fridge or freezer, and the general American population would go into withdrawals or just be bored...
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The Foot Experience
Mackenzie McMillen
2013-03-07
I don’t know what, if any life lesson can be learned from the past three weeks but I’ve come to realize that not every event needs to have a lesson attached to it. Maybe there’s a lesson but frankly I’m too exhausted by this whole thing to uncover it right now. So I’m just going to tell you what...
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Who’s Talking With Whom? Communication and Public Health in Senegal
Talia Katz
2013-03-07
Ask the Senegalese what the national language of their country is and the responses are often mixed. While the government and all reliable media sources assert with black and white precision that it is French, a little grassroots observation displays something quite different. While French may be the national language of Senegal, the amount of...
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Precious Moments
Claire Amsden
2013-03-07
This is a journal entry that morphed into a blog with some additions and editing. I like it because it shows how important the family integration part of this experience is to me. Because I didn’t decide to do this to “save the world” or even to make a difference in a village. Don’t get...
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On the Life of a Poor Person
Kevin Do
2013-03-06
Picture the following life: A person living in a village in Africa. You already picture some poor starving child probably. Let me continue the description. This person is living in a village with no electricity or running water. If he wants water, he has to go to the village pump and fill a bucket. Of...
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