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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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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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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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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