With weeks remaining until the end of school, everyone’s focused on exams and graduation. I get a call from UNESCO, they want me. As a prelude to sending me to Jordan, I’m to show up in their Geneva offices on September first for training. Outwardly I cheer, as inwardly I cringe in fear. It’s a whole lot more exciting to think about doing this, but with the cold words of the letter in front of me, the reality that I’m going to spend a year living in the Middle East is beginning to hit. I decide to create a new mantra, as I tell myself, Olivia, you’re tough, you can do this.

On my way to meet Meredith for coffee before studying, I run into Max.

“What’s up?” I question as he cockily wraps his arm around my shoulders.

“I got funding,” he cheers. “Ten. Million. Dollars. The VC’s love what I’m doing.”

“Max,” I gasp. “They gave some guy in grad school that much money?’

“I’m no longer just some guy in grad school, I’m funded. I’m now the President and CEO of a VC funded startup. They…” he points to random people walking along the path. “Might want to work at a startup, I get to run one. I’m another Stanford success story.”

“At least you’re on your way to becoming another Stanford success story.”

“So that’s my big news. What’re your big plans for the summer?”

“Nothing as grand as starting my own company, but after graduation I’ll spend a month in the Hamptons, with a couple sidetrips to Deal to see my Grandmother and the rest of the family. Then I’m off to the South of France to brush up on my French, and September I head to Geneva for training.”

 “Geneva for training? Training for what?”

 “I got accepted by UNESCO. I’m spending a year in Jordan opening up a humanitarian camp for Syrian refugees.”

“Jordan, as in the Middle East?”

“Yup, the one and only.”

“Olivia, you realize that’s the most dangerous area of the world. People over there are trying to find out how to get out. Why would you want to go?”

 “To help make the world a better place, to give instead of to take, to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.”

“Who are you? I thought you were a cynic, I thought you were a dilettante. When did you become so idealistic? Wow, I took you as savvy, aware, even opportunistic. Never did I see you as some kind of starry-eyed aid worker. You realize you won’t be staying at a Four Seasons.”

“I guess I’m deeper than you gave me credit for.”

When we arrive at the coffee shop; I spot Juliette, Hita, Meredith, and Sam at a table.

“Let’s join them.” He nods as we pull up chairs and sit down. “Max’s got big news,” I announce. “His project got VC funding.”

Sam who still has one more year before he finishes his joint masters in biology and MBA looks up from his phone with real interest. “Sweet, how much did you get?”

 “Ten Million.”

“No way, they gave you that much,” Meredith exclaims.

“What are you going to do with all that money?” Juliette asks.

“You need to think big,” Max professes. “This is only a drop in the bucket. It takes a lot of money to get an idea to market. I still have a lot to do to productize my concept. Over the next year I’ll be moving it from prototype to production. Right now I’m trying to finish up school while I detail my plan. I actually don’t get the cash until August; there are a lot of papers to sign.”

“Yeah, planning is important. You hear lots of stories about people blowing their A round,” Hita adds.

“I’ve already hired four guys from my program and am in talks with a few others from CS. I’ve met with some guys who are creating drones to find out requirements for placing one of our detection cards on their planes. Next week a couple of us are headed up to San Francisco to look at office space.”

“Why up there?” Juliette questions. “Wouldn’t you have better access to engineers down here?”

“Down here is so old school. All the young people want to be up in San Francisco. I know a bunch of guys who are living up there and commuting down. I’m sure they’d be happy to stop taking the company bus and work closer to home.”

“Are you going to find some people who’ve done this before, people who’ve started a company, productized something, have experience working with government regulations?” Hita diligently questions.

“I need people who get it. This is new technology. I don’t want to waste my money on teaching old guys new tricks.”

“Someday I too would like to start my own company. But first, I’d like to learn the ropes on someone else’s nickel,” Juliette comments.

“I’ve already done that,” Max informs her. “I interned at Cisco, Apple, and Google. When you first hire on, you’re so low down at those companies you see how bureaucracy works but never how a company works. I have good ideas – a grand vision, I’ve led a team in our lab. Now I’ll lead a team in my own lab.”

“Have you heard Olivia’s big news?” Sam asks Max.

“If you mean living in the desert in some Bedouin tent, yeah, I’ve heard the news.”

“Have you ever been to a disadvantaged country?” Hita asks me. “Do you have any idea how poor people really live?”

“I’ve been to a number of Islands in the Caribbean.” I exclaim.

“Staying at a resort doesn’t count,” Sam responds.

“It was more than staying at a resort. I helped out when my parents went on a medical mission.”

“My brother’s spent almost ten years in that part of the world. It’s dangerous and scary,” Meredith exclaims. “I think you should spend a year in Teach for America or Habitat for Humanity. Something a little closer to home, it would be safer.”

“I’m twenty-two, safety is not my number one issue.”

“Yeah, but when you’re kidnapped or whatever by some marauding band of Islamic terrorists, you might reconsider that position.” Max volunteers.

“Olivia will be fine with the terrorists; she has a way of turning every situation around so it’s under her control.” Juliette says. “What I worry about is…what are you going to do when you don’t have an outlet for your blow dryer, can’t quickly fill up on your favorite designer shampoo, or chip your nails and need a new mani-pedi?”

“Ha ha…you all are making me out to be too spoiled and shallow.”

My friends all look at me with smiles on their faces. I smile back, but inside my determination grows. It’s more than being close to Conner. I’m doing this for me. I’m much tougher than anyone gives me credit for. This next year in Jordan will prove what I’m made of. I’ll show them that I can live rough.

“I want to see Olivia when she comes back, after a year of doing without, how will it change her,” Meredith pronounces.