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
Why? Why Not!
Betty Gebre
2012-07-10
“Why would you want to waste a year of your life?” is a response I often get when I present the fact that I will be taking a gap year. For a while I did not understand why people were not open to the idea that a teenager would actually be eager to take a...
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“A Girl From South Bronx Going to Senegal”
Alison Rivera
2012-07-10
The dirty worn out shoes made their way down the aisle, their owner slowly shaking a used Dunkin Donut’s coffee cup. There are probably about two dimes in the cup. He starts off telling his tragic story: lost job, no family, hunger. The woman across from me clutches her Louis Vuitton purse tightly; the teen...
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I Am Because You Are
Matthew Travers
2012-07-10
When I graduated from high school, I decided to move from California to New York City. There, I served as a mentor with City Year, a non-profit that works in inner-city schools. It was through this organization that I learned of the concept Ubuntu. This African philosophy is based on the belief that everyone is...
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Passion
Ely Kadish
2012-07-10
Life places many questions before us, shaping and molding our way of thinking and acting. Some question the “why” and others question the “how” but in the end the “so what!” is all that really matters. In the end, a life is not measured by the atoms or the bonds but by the path and...
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Decisions
Mackenzie McMillen
2012-07-10
I recently opened my very first debit card. As you would expect, my parents cautioned me against using it frivolously and reminded me that it’s easy to loose track of how much one spends when the money isn’t tangible. I took heed and promised myself I wouldn’t get carried away. Still, I was eager to...
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The Call of Adventure
Kimberly Reed-Hyman
2012-07-10
Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to explore, see different places, and experience what else is out there in the world. Adventure called to me even at a young age, and now that I am old enough, I am ready to answer its call. I never knew why I had this urge, but something deep inside...
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My Search for Self
Marisa Comeau-Kerege
2012-07-10
Hi! My name is Marisa Comeau-Kerege. I was born in Mountlake Terrace, WA but I moved to Hartland, WI when I was seven. Although upon arrival, the village of Hartland seemed small and constricted, and made me miss home. However, I met many great friends and was introduced to my creative outlet of figure and...
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My Niche
Olivia Hill
2012-07-10
Everyone has their niche. Whether it’s painting, reading, or music, there’s always something that a person loves to do or is good at. For me, it’s traveling. In the 8th grade I went to Japan for ten days, and it changed my life. Before I went on that 10 day trip to Nishiwaki, I was...
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Gap Year College
Ariel Vardy
2012-07-10
I signed up for college, right when I was told I was supposed to. Going to college was sort of a given for the school in my demographic. The question was not “what are you doing next year?”, but rather “what college are you going to?”. People would learn a lot about me in my...
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