Rachel Baker
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Spain
Bio: I am a sister, a picture taker, a runner, a nature lover, a food try-er… actually an anything try-er, a scrap booker, a line dancer, a shower singer, a gardener, a new blogger, and a traveler.
All through high school I have done mission trips through my church.
I have been in countries such as Belize and the Czech Republic, but only for small amounts of time and with people I was already familiar with. This September, I’m taking my next step. I am spending three months away from my friends, my family, and my language…and I’ve never been more excited for anything in my life! I can’t wait to see the beauty that Seville has to offer, and I refuse to take any opportunity in Spain for granted. I am so excited to have this opportunity, I have to thank CIEE and the Speedwell Foundation. I can’t wait to dive into the Spanish culture and see how it changes me. Hope you enjoy my posts!
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Lauren Bechtel
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Spain
Bio: My name is Lauren Bechtel, and I grew up in small town Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. Ever since childhood, my education has been anything but traditional. My parents chose to educate me at home for the first eight years of school, but I transferred to a public high school for my freshman year.
When I found this opportunity to study abroad with CIEE, it felt like the perfect way to explore and experience the world before I was locked in at college. I am so excited to spend a semester in Seville, Spain, and I am excited to share my experiences with anyone interested in studying abroad!
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Christina Cabezas
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Dominican Republic
Bio:
¡Hola amigos! My name is Christina Cabezas and I am from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Yes, the land of the Amish! (Know the show “Amish Mafia”? Yep, that’s my home!) Last June, I graduated from Conestoga Valley High School and have taken a year off before beginning college. Through a Gap Year Abroad Program with CIEE and a generous scholarship with the Speedwell Foundation, I will be living in Santiago, Dominican Republic during this spring semester.
I am super excited to be traveling to and living in a different country. As long as I can remember, I have loved exploring new places and learning about the world and its many cultures. This comes from my background, a mix of Spanish and German Mennonite! I grew up with a blend of languages, and a unique twist of cultures. This “variety pack” of a heritage has allowed me to have an open mind and a thirst for learning about other people who may not be very similar to me and my life. I know I will learn so much during my stay, and I cannot wait to share all of my adventures with you!"
THANK YOU!
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Stephanie Denoyer
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Spain
Bio:
Hi, I’m Steph Denoyer—bitten by the travel bug, and risk-taker through and through. I find myself this spring in Sevilla, España, hoping to learn a thing or two about both Spanish culture in action and the art of integrating in a family with whom you share neither a homeland, nor family, nor language.
I’m an active person who enjoys running, road cycling, skiing, horseback riding, yoga, and the occasional I’m-late-for-my-train marathon. I went to school in rural Connecticut and will be heading to a university next fall in a bustling city. Sevilla, in its historic charm and orange-tree glory, will be a transitory home and a taste of Spain that I’m sure to remember for the rest of my life.
Follow my pictures, videos, and words to get an insider’s view on life of a gap year student bumping into street signs and crashing through goals."
Photo: Please see attached.
THANK YOU!
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Genevieve Iwanicki
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Japan
Bio:
Hi! My name is Genevieve Iwanicki. I was born in Boston, and live in Norwell, Massachusetts with my mom, dad, and three sisters! I graduated from Milton Academy this past year and am heading to University of Chicago in the class of 2018 after my gap year.
I love sports, and I have played soccer and swam competitively since I was little. In my spare time outside of school and sports, I enjoy reading (especially Harry Potter), studying various countries, and drawing maps of imaginary cities.
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Lea Klock
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Japan
Bio:
Hi! My name is Lea Klock, and I am 17-years-old. I was living with my parents in New York, but now I am going to Japan. I have been learning Japanese for the last four years, and I am excited to put it to use!
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Kathryn Kurtz
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Japan
Bio:
Hi, I'm Kathryn Kurtz, but you can call me Katie. At eighteen, I'm the eldest of five, a swimmer, a writer, an artist, a proud graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School, and member of Cornell Architecture Class of 2019. I've been interested in Japan since I was twelve and came across my first anime show. Though I no longer watch anime or read manga, I have studied three summers of Japanese at Drexel University since age 14.
I believe that architecture is an extension of language, a form of communication that unites people everywhere. Japanese architecture is no exception, from the towering forms of Skytree and gilded shrines, conveying history and culture. I am looking forward to experiencing this in person in Japan for the next nine months!
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Reilly Lerner
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Spain
Bio:
I am a 2013 graduate from the Communications Magnet at Henry W. Grady High in Atlanta, GA. I enjoy trying new things, meeting and talking with people, and photographing my surroundings. I hope my blog shares my point of view while traveling abroad in Sevilla, Spain.
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Madeleine Meredith
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Chile/Spain
Bio: Bienvenido! I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from Mountain Vista High School this past May. During high school, I participated in field hockey, my high school's business club called DECA, the National Spanish Honors Society, and was the co-president of Show Me the Monet, a new art program just founded last year.
After spending last summer in Costa Rica as an exchange student, I realized the beauty and importance of language and now greatly anticipate the next chapter of my live in Valparaíso, Chile.
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Elena Palermo
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Chile/Spain
Bio: Hi! My name is Elena Palermo. I've lived in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb outside Washington, D.C. my entire life. Although DC has been great, I am more than ready to step, well, more jump, outside my comfort zone and begin my gap year in Valparaíso, Chile. I have a variety of interests including singing, swimming, hiking, biking, camping, rowing, practicing yoga and meditation, but—most of all—I love trying new things!
I enjoy meeting new people and learning about different cultural experiences and look forward to becoming fluent in Spanish. So I cannot wait to fully immerse myself in this lifestyle that is so completely different from my own. I’m excited about this unique opportunity and am thrilled to be sharing my experiences with anyone and everyone who reads!
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Hayley Schultz
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Chile/Spain
Bio: Hello and welcome to my blog! I cannot wait for this gap year experience so I can improve my Spanish and become immersed in not one, but two completely different cultures. I have always loved learning about other cultures, and I am fascinated by other languages... so taking a gap year seemed like a pretty perfect plan for me.
I could take time off before college to really think about what I wanted to do in the future, as well as meet many new and interesting people from all over the world. So come follow me on my journey in South America and southern Spain.
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Katerina Stephan
Program: Gap Year Abroad in Chile/Spain
Bio: Hello, hello, hello! My name is Katerina Stephan, and I am about to embark on the experience of a lifetime: a CIEE Gap Year trip to Valparaiso, Chile. I was born in California, but I've spent the majority of my life in the quaint yet pleasant town of Middleton, Wisconsin. Throughout the years, I've adventured around a variety of places in the US and a few countries in Europe. However, I've never been to South America, nor have I ever taken a Spanish class in my life. A wonderful adventure this will be!
I love dancing, running, biking, rock climbing, boating, reading, hiking, camping, baking, traveling, and driving, and I am always willing to try something new (especially foods). My family often jokes that I like “a little bit of everything.” They're 100% correct. I can't wait to explore Chile, meet new people, and learn Spanish, and I'm also looking forward to being able to share my tales with anybody who's interested in listening (or reading) long enough.
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Helen Walter-Cardinal
Program: Gap Year Abroad in France
Bio: I didn’t choose to go abroad for a year; I had to. No one made me—I simply could not think of a reason I wouldn’t want to. When I was too young to remember, my parents lived abroad and traveled throughout Europe with me. Even though we moved back to the U.S. before I started preschool, I grew up knowing that I didn’t have to feel stuck living in the same place my whole life and that it was okay to move out of my comfort zone. Many people my age will follow a monotonous path from school to a career as if their life has already been planned out for them.
I, however, am not afraid to break traditions and conventions and take a gap year in what I believe is one of the most magical cities in the world. From my time in school, I learned about France’s rich history and beautiful language and I could not be more excited to live there. When I come back, I will go to college (I deferred from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where I will study architecture or civil engineering), but I hope from this experience I can forge my own path in life. While I am there, I will be blogging so that I can remember my experience for years to come and perhaps inspire others to break free from the path society tells us is our only option.
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Axelle Van Wynsberghe
Program: Gap Year Abroad in China
Bio: My name is Axelle, and I'm 18 years old. I was born in Brussels (Belgium) but have since lived in Zagreb, Haiti, Guatemala, Columbia, and the Dominican Republic. The largest part of my school life, however, was spent in New York City. I speak fluent French, English, and Spanish and am hoping to add Chinese to that list somewhere down the road.
Some of my hobbies are reading, writing, and drawing. I enjoy reading the works of Walter Moers and Neil Gaiman,and some of my favorite artists are Banksy, Magritte and Dali. I'm looking to study Anthropology in the future, and going to China will give me an opportunity to be exposed to a new culture.
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