FROM THE FIELD
Read about the Fellows’ experiences in Brazil, Senegal, and Ecuador.
Featured Post
Trading My Mosquito Net for Chapter 3
by Natalie Davidson | May 22, 2012
Tomorrow marks the 1 month anniversary of being “back home.” These past 4 weeks have been a whirlwind of old experiences that feel brand new — such as a grilled cheese sandwich or traffic laws — things that used to be normal, things I haven’t seen, felt, done, tasted, heard in 8 months that are more exciting this time around than they were the first time. I am basking in how simple life feels at home, how smoothly things run and how punctual people are. I am loving the choices I have — what to eat, when to eat it,…
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A Senegalese Birthday | May 21, 2012
A Senegalese Birthday
For the Senegalese, birthdays are seen as ‘not a big deal.’ Since I’ve been here…
For the Senegalese, birthdays are seen as ‘not a big deal.’ Since I’ve been here both my mom and my sister’s birthdays have passed, and they treated them just as another day going by.
For example, when it came to my 7-year-old sisters birthday. In the morning I had jumped on her bed and yelled “Joey Anniversaire” all she said was “merci” and went back to sleep. When it came to my mom’s birthday, I had given her a cloth towel as her birthday present. I was questioned as to why I was giving it to her and I told her it was her birthday. She had totally forgotten what day it was, took the cloth and went back to what she was doing. So when it was my turn, I wasn’t really expecting that much. Boy was I wrong…
My dad had asked me what I was planning on…-
I told him that all I wanted was a small hang out with a group of my friends and we could play cards games and just chill. That idea was shot right down. - Semira Sanchez
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Dollars to development | May 21, 2012
Dollars to development
Microfinance is a word. A very fancy word. And a word I feel most people…
Microfinance is a word. A very fancy word. And a word I feel most people don’t really understand (even when they claim to).
I, for example, don’t understand it. I spent three months this year trying to learn about it.
I made a video about it! So you should check it out! You can find it by clicking here….
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Microfinance is a word. A very fancy word. And a word I feel most people don’t really understand (even when they claim to).
I, for example, don’t understand it. I spent three months this year… - Read the rest »
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Los Chanchitos | May 21, 2012
Los Chanchitos
(This story happened sometime in November. I’m sharing it now.)
Okay. So every morning my…(This story happened sometime in November. I’m sharing it now.)
Okay. So every morning my mom and sister leave about an hour to a half hour before I do to go to work. We bought 5 piglets from our neighbors yesterday and it happens that the bars on the cage door are just slightly large enough for them to squeeze through. We fixed this by wiring a piece of board to the door so they couldn’t get through. We thought this would do. … This morning as I was in my room getting dressed I heard a bunch of pig squeals from a direction where there should not have been pig squeals. I ran outside to find the two smallest of the five pigs running around the yard, digging in the dirt and in our garden and eating things off the ground, as pigs do. There are two identical doors…-
...This is an impossible task because little piggies run very fast, especially when they suspect you're trying to grab them. The only way I could even touch them was to wait behind a tree until they started digging in the moist rainforest floor, faces half covered in mud, and pounce. - Madeline Campbell
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Five Days of Carnaval Craziness | May 21, 2012
Five Days of Carnaval Craziness
Carnaval is five days of pure craziness and fun, be prepared to get very dirty…
Carnaval is five days of pure craziness and fun, be prepared to get very dirty and wet and when you leave the house, leave the house prepared to fight. Carnaval started the first weekend of February, kids were out of school and there was no work for that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The first day of Carnaval, Friday, I had to teach English classes and while walking down my road to work, I got water dumped on me and so it began. After English classes, I was meeting up with two other Fellows to celebrate Carnaval. While walking to get food, I saw a parade going on, so I stopped and watched, it was cool, it had different schools doing dances, different groups of people in colorful clothing, with painted designs on their faces. Also, people standing on the sides of the road would spray the people in the parade…
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I believe this is a holiday that should definitely make its way over to the States because it was just way too fun. - Elizabeth Warren
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La Caminata del Quiche | May 21, 2012
La Caminata del Quiche
“La Caminata del Quinche,” is a pilgrimage that started over 400 years ago, that the…
“La Caminata del Quinche,” is a pilgrimage that started over 400 years ago, that the people of the Catholic churches participate in every year. I´m not Catholic, but I thought it would be a great cultural experience and cool to participate in, so two other Fellows and I met up around 3p.m. Friday afternoon at the bus terminal to start in Quito.
We were meeting another Fellow there to walk with her and her family, so we start the two-hour bus trip to Quito, which almost turned into three-hours due to traffic jam. Just outside of Quito, we got off the bus to wait on the other Fellow and her family, we ate and then at about 9p.m. we met up with our friend and her family and began the walk. There were so many people and everyone was walking fast. You literally had no choice but to walk quickly because…-
The city part was the easiest part of the whole walk, but it was almost 10:30 p.m. and we were still not out of it. - Elizabeth Warren
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Memory | May 17, 2012
Memory
Although I am now back in the United States, I haven’t forgotten Ecuador. When I…
Although I am now back in the United States, I haven’t forgotten Ecuador. When I dream, I’m still back in Ecuador, among the plantains and cacao, working with the women of Sinchi Warmi. All these memories that come back to me at unexpected moments led me to think back to a little piece of writing that I wrote many months ago, about halfway through my time in Ecuador. It reminds me of my second home, and I thought it might be worth sharing with all of you. I hope you enjoy it.
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I was given a task: Find the oldest memory you can.
The first image that flashed into my head was 3 year old me walking down the street to preschool with my babysitter Robin. But at 18 years old, I can have no possible claim to “the oldest memory.” So I went looking for the oldest memory…-
All these memories that come back to me at unexpected moments led me to think back to a little piece of writing that I wrote many months ago, about halfway through my time in Ecuador. - Mitchell Mankin
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Try Again: I'm No Role Model | May 17, 2012
Try Again: I’m No Role Model
You’re wasting time when you try defining anyone I believe in; well , especially me.…
You’re wasting time when you try defining anyone I believe in; well , especially me.
Only thing you can define are words and I’m neither a word or a line.
I don’t even know sometimes if I am human.
Maybe the closest word that can define me is crazy!
Seriously, I’m just 19 years old . I don’t want to be anyone’s “role model.”
I’m just living life and exploring,
I’m not looking to disapoint anyone,
So yeah, try again.…-
You’re wasting time when you try defining anyone I believe in; well , especially me.
Only thing you can define are words and I’m neither a word or a line.
I don’t even know sometimes… - Read the rest »
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Some Things Never Change | May 17, 2012
Some Things Never Change
To be honest, I am not a poetry girl by nature. But during the last…
To be honest, I am not a poetry girl by nature. But during the last few weeks of re-entry, I have found it to be a fitting outlet. Here’s my latest shot at free verse on change. Enjoy.
Is it true that some things never change?
Bound by constant, unremitting force
Surrendered to the stillness
black ink and red lined boundaries
drumming only within their frequency
Is it a choice?
choose to free yourself
to feel again to smile vigorously
all the same as if she were here
to move intentionally through
like an ant that skates across a chalk line
rupturing confines, flitting
exciting a revolution of another
thousand ants in suit
Just as a traveler steps on new soil
sees familiar prints and tears of life, the old friend
hears foreign murmurs of the unchanging
feels the heat of a land untouched
cries in built-up civilization
But…-
the hero’s journey centripetal by nature, transports the untranslatable in the blink of an eye... - Sienna Walker
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Leap Without Inhibitions | May 8, 2012
Leap Without Inhibitions
Please enjoy this short video about my time teaching dance classes with the help of…
Please enjoy this short video about my time teaching dance classes with the help of my apprenticeship host, CARE-International.
Click the link below or partake in the smaller version. I’ll let the video speak for me!
http://youtu.be/9pgGKYQuzpw…-
Please enjoy this short video about my time teaching dance classes with the help of my apprenticeship host, CARE-International.
Click the link below or partake in the smaller version. I’ll let the video speak for… - Read the rest »
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Ever wonder...? (video) | May 8, 2012
Ever wonder…? (video)
Hey everyone! Check out my capstone video. I’ve been using it as a tool to…
Hey everyone! Check out my capstone video. I’ve been using it as a tool to get people excited and interested about gap year programs like Global Citizen Year. It’s just a bunch of clips to show those watching how different and amazing my life was while I lived in Ecuador. If you have any questions about the clips/my experience or just want to hear a fun story please don’t hesitate to comment. I’d love to answer any questions you may have!
I hope you enjoy my video!…
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Hey everyone! Check out my capstone video. I’ve been using it as a tool to get people excited and interested about gap year programs like Global Citizen Year. It’s just a bunch of clips to…
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My Story... | May 8, 2012
My Story…
One of the main events that occurred during re-entry in California was the Donor Dinner…
One of the main events that occurred during re-entry in California was the Donor Dinner Night. During this event we had some of our Global Citizen Year donors join the fellows and the rest of the Global Citizen Year staff as we shared our new stories, pictures, videos, and skits from the all-different countries. That night I shared a speech which I like to call, “My Story”. I would love to share “My Story” with my blog subscribers who were not able to hear it live. Although some parts may be a little different (I usually don’t write entire speeches but rather words and phrases that will keep me on track) below are my genuine feelings and words that I would use to describe my year as a Global Citizen Year fellow. Enjoy!
When the Brazil fellows arrived in September we took a multitude of classes. We had Portuguese classes,…-
So I wrote thank you letters to everyone in cohort and thanked them for their time and their presence. And I wrote letters to my work thanking them for the simple opportunity to work at their organization. - Mariah Donnelly
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ALUMNI POST: Tears for Fears...and Joy | May 7, 2012
ALUMNI POST: Tears for Fears…and Joy
A roar of applause erupted. The lights flickered on. The projector was turned off. We…
A roar of applause erupted. The lights flickered on. The projector was turned off. We all stood up and as was expected many began to shed tears. Fellows embraced each other with forceful grasps. As if letting go would allow this experience to pass.
For fifty-four Fellows, eight months of curiosity, struggle, persistence, and triumph had been encapsulated in the few short hours allotted for Fellow presentations. The forms used to present these experiences: video, podcast, song, role-play, dance, and speech. The emotions they encompassed: fear, adoration, pride, resilience, and camaraderie. As a Fellow last year this environment was a familiar one. Yet it was no less poignant, no less emotional, no less…well, tear jerking.
The general impression one gets of Global Citizen Year, from the website and the staff, is of a program that provides young adults with a global perspective by facilitating immersive experiences in the developing world…-
To be fair, that is correct, but these goals fall under a larger umbrella - that of building relationships. That is the unmovable core that grounds the experiences Fellows undergo. - Michael Stivers
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Walking Together | May 4, 2012
Walking Together
During my year, I worked with an organization called La Casa De La Juventud (Youth…
During my year, I worked with an organization called La Casa De La Juventud (Youth House). This organization is made up mainly of local youth ranging from all ages, who get together and set up events to do after school or during weekends. La Casa De La Juventud provides a network for the youth in the city of Ibarra. Although, alcohol and drugs are very present in the city of Ibarra, La Casa de la Juventud organizes events that are alcohol/drugs free to get together and have safe, clean fun.
In February, we put together a day walk that ended at Sierra Aventura, which is a hostel with pools, karaoke, horseback riding, and more. We started the walk in a nearby indigenous community called San Clemente at around 8:45am. To start the day with an activity, the rules for the day were introduced to the group. Then, shortly after we were on…-
During my year, I worked with an organization called La Casa De La Juventud (Youth House). This organization is made up mainly of local youth ranging from all ages, who get together and set up…
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Capstone Project | May 4, 2012
Capstone Project
I am now back home, and all I can think about are my family, friends,…
I am now back home, and all I can think about are my family, friends, co-workers, Global Citizen Year staff, and fellows. I miss everyone very much and especially Ibarra. When I started my year I was given the opportunity to create an entirely new life. No one knew me and I didn’t know anyone else. To some people this maybe a little scary, but to me, it was fun.
In the states, I always felt scared of being judged by my friends and family, but as soon as I arrived to Ecuador I put that all behind. I did what I wanted and doing so, the people around me saw who I really am. I am not saying that in Ecuador I am someone completely different, but what it has taken years for my family in friends in the States to learn about me, people learned that about me,…-
I am now back home, and all I can think about are my family, friends, co-workers, Global Citizen Year staff, and fellows. I miss everyone very much and especially Ibarra. When I started my year…
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Thank You. Gracias. | May 4, 2012
Thank You. Gracias.
To show our appreciation (Imbabura fellows) to our host families and apprenticeship directors. We put…
To show our appreciation (Imbabura fellows) to our host families and apprenticeship directors. We put together a video. We presented the video during the thank you luncheon. The families and directors were happy to see how much we cared about them. I hope you enjoy the video.
https://vimeo.com/41474225…-
To show our appreciation (Imbabura fellows) to our host families and apprenticeship directors. We put together a video. We presented the video during the thank you luncheon. The families and directors were happy to see…
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Too early for nostalgia | May 2, 2012
Too early for nostalgia
Last night I sat on my roof watching the clouds pass in front of the…
Last night I sat on my roof watching the clouds pass in front of the full moon, listening to the melodic chants come from the school across the street, and thinking about the short two days I have left of this experience that has become my life. I remember what my Team Leader, Oumou, had told us all when we arrived in Senegal. ” This experience will be whatever you make it to be, It’s completely up to you.” Despite my efforts in stopping it, this week has been one full of nostalgia. Sitting on the roof, it was almost as if I was watching myself over the past 7 months. I remembered the first month in Dakar, filled with good food and city life. And then the next two months, where my first language was charades and my constant state of awe overpowered the isolation and confusion of trying…
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And here I am in April, having a hard time saying goodbye to something I have spent so long adapting to, feeling nostalgic for a place and people that still surround me. - Kaya Hartley
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When the Men Come Home... | May 2, 2012
When the Men Come Home…
In Senegal the family dynamic is simple, but rigid. The men work, the women keep…
In Senegal the family dynamic is simple, but rigid. The men work, the women keep the home and do the cooking, and the children go to school and help the adults. Of course per family their are variations of this setup. Some girls don’t really get much of a chance to go to school, while others are able to go all the way to college. And many women are able to work in the market and even get jobs of their own, such as in health. But one factor remains fundamental, women do the cooking and cleaning, men do the “real” work. And often decent work cannot be found near where a family lives in a village. Such is the case with my family here in Ross Bethio. While some of the young boys work in the fields or at the nearby motor shop (a dirt lot littered with old…
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They crowd at his feet, smiles wide and eyes bright, begging for attention. Its both beautiful, sweet, and sad, and touching to witness. - Lily Goldberg
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Home; here and there and everywhere | May 2, 2012
Home; here and there and everywhere
Something I’ve noticed, without fail, is that consistently throughout all places and peoples in Senegal…
Something I’ve noticed, without fail, is that consistently throughout all places and peoples in Senegal there is a general, wonderful sense of hospitality, welcoming, and concern for others. They call this “Teranga,” a sense of friendliness, hospitality, and respect conveyed by the Senegalese to all people. It’s most apparent in the traditional long greetings given whenever you see someone. In Senegal when making a greeting there is not simply a “Hey what’s up, or how are you doing?” When you greet someone you ask them how they are, how they slept, how their day has been going, how their family is, mother, father, grandmother, etc. and then they ask all this of you as well if not more. It’s the first thing we were taught how to say when we came because it is such an important signal to the Senegalese. It shows you appreciate their culture and language, understand…
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My host family as well shows me the same kindness everyday. It started with the way they first welcomed me to the house, with a huge bowl of food just for me. And ever since they have always made me feel at home and like part of the family. - Lily Goldberg
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