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Alumni Spotlight: Samantha D.

Written by

Samantha D.,

EF Gap Year Class of 2019

alumni spotlight story
  • Publish Date:August 7th, 2022

EF Gap Year alum Samantha offers some food for thought as she remembers a place she and her friends frequented during their Business & Internships module in Sydney, Australia.

I didn’t know they were offering me the sushi when they walked by with the tray; a lady in a red apron walked by carrying a wooden plate of steamed dumplings next.

“Are these all for us?” I asked my friend Shaina.

“It’s called Yum Cha,” she replied. “We choose what we want.” She nodded to the server, who gave us the tray and wrote a dash on our paper check resting on the table. “Thank you!”

Bodhi was a place designed to feel enchanted by: something about the lanterns hanging from the gardens, the cocktails with fresh flowers, the smiles that greeted us there–something about the world we entered when we walked through the restaurant doors reminded us of why we went on this adventure in the first place.

We would sit at our usual spot tucked in the corner of the patio whenever we had something to celebrate. On our last day of our internship together, we lead a group tour and presented our company’s mission. We were so nervous. Distraught. But when we finished, we knew where we would go next.

“Let’s meet at Bodhi?” I asked.

“I already made a reservation,” Shaina replied.

Eiffel Tower in Paris on a EF Gap program
A day in the life

Every day during an EF Gap Year is completely different; join Samantha as she takes us through an average day on program in Paris, France.

6:30am
Yoga on my porch.

7:30am
Breakfast: raspberry jam on toast and black tea with cream, enjoyed with the company of my host family's bunnies.

8:00am
Take the bus to school.

9:00am
French Language and Grammar class.

EF Gap Year alumni spotlight
EF Gap Year in Paris
Paris skyline aerial shot on a gap year

12:00pm
Lunch at the cafè with Charlotte.

1:00pm
French Vocabulary class.

2:00pm
Chai tea or coffee with friends.

4:00pm
Visiting the Louvre.

7:00pm
Playing at the open mic/poetry slam.

9:00pm
Dinner at homestay with my host mom and little brothers.

10:00pm
Journaling and meditation before bed.

EF Gap Year in Paris
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Samantha D.

EF Gap Year Class of 2019

Samantha traveled to Paris for Language & Culture, Costa Rica for Service & Sustainability, and Sydney for Business & internship on her EF Gap Year.

She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, studying journalism and nonfiction travel writing. Samantha's passions include environmental sustainability, activism within her community, and exploring the outdoors.


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