Bucket List

Irmingard Isabelle Weber is a 17 yr old, outsider, in a school filled with cliches. Her one and only best friend is Jared McCaw, a boy that has been by her side since the days of 5th-grade middle school. New Year's Eve 2016 Jared and Iz, when the clock struck midnight, made a bet that they could finish a bucket list by years end 2017.

I am standing with Jared watching the ball drop at 11:59 pm New Years Eve. We are surrounded by Jared's friends and other kids from school at a party, I would usually not attend or even get invited too. As the ball dropped and everyone shouted 'Happy New Years!' they all turned to the person closest to them and just kissed them like it was nothing to bring on the New Year. To my surprise, Jared turned to me and kissed me too.

"Iz, we should both make a bucket list and by years end have it complete!"

After I caught up with Jared's out of the blue challenge, I agreed. "Sure, Jared, we should."

With a bigger smirk on his face, than he already had, Jared said, "Sweet, and I already crossed one item off my list!" With a quick wink, he went to cheer his other friends.

#

As I was packing my belongings into small cardboard boxes, so I could move over 2000 miles away to attend my parents Alma Mater, Dartmouth. Which has an acceptance rate around 10%. Needless to say even with Dartmouth being my families Alma Mater, I still had to make studying and school my life, leaving little time for anything else. So, when I came across my Bucket List that I made with Jared last New Years, I started to have a small panic attack. I was disappointed that I had missed out on a lot this year. With everything I had to achieve to be accepted into Dartmouth, I didn't even think about checking anything off on my bucket list.

Do you think I am overly privileged? That I get anything I want? That I should have had plenty of chances to get that list done? Think again. I attend a city school, I take the bus, and I have a part-time job, which I have been working going on three years, and before that I babysat. I am still taking out loans for college, and paying my way. I am not one of those people that thinks I am better than anyone else. My parents taught me I must earn what I want or it means nothing. Which I am kind of thankful for, and down the road I am sure it will be the best thing they could have taught me, but until then... I need to check off at least one of these items on my list before the end of the year. That gives me (checking the calendar) 7 weeks! Christmas break is already blocked for "family time". Thanksgiving break just ended, and I need to give my job at least 2 weeks notice before I take time off. Leaving me less than 21 days to figure out how I am getting myself to Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, so I can check off the biggest item on my bucket list.

#

I walk up behind Jared in the hallway at school, hook my arm with his and tell him, "Jared, you might think I am crazy."

"Okay, you got me, Why?" I can hear the humor in his voice, which makes the plan in my head sound even crazier, but I am set on this, and I want to share this with my best friend.

"I am going to Cambodia."

"Cambodia?" At this point, we have stopped walking and Jared is looking at me with a questioning look, but an interested facial expression.

"I am going to volunteer to help the underprivileged kids in Siem Reap Province. Help build new classrooms, houses, libraries, and even teach."

"I'm in, Iz. So, when are we doing this?"

"In a week." I walked into class, sat down and didn't look toward the door, knowing I would see Jared standing there with a stunned face.

#

The guidance counselor will see you now, Ms. Weber.

"Hi, Ms. Jennings. I would like to discuss an opportunity with you."

"Alright, what kind of opportunity is it?" Ms. Jennings crossed her arms in her lap and sat back in her chair waiting for my answer.

"A volunteer opportunity that would be great for my resumes once I am done with school."

I am guessing she found this interesting because she sat up a little straighter in her chair and leaned closer to me. "How can I be of help, Ms. Weber?"

With this, I took a deep breath and looked Ms. Jennings in the eyes and told her, "I need to take two weeks off of school to volunteer. I will be back after the break, for any tests that need to be made up."

"Ms. Weber, there is less than a month left before the break, when were you planning on leaving?"

In a firm voice, I sat up in my chair and told Ms. Jennings: "At weeks end."

#

"I can't believe I am doing this, I have never done anything like this before!"

I am on the phone with Jared, as I go over the details about our trip to Cambodia. Pacing back and forth across my room, trying to settle my nerves enough to tell my parents I will be doing volunteer work for two weeks.

"So, we are really doing this, Iz?!" I can hear the nervous excitement in Jared's voice as he talks, and it is making me a little less nervous.

"Yes, we really are!"

#

"Mom. Dad." I sat down at the table and motion to the chairs on either side of the table for them to sit down. "I would like to discuss something with you both." I could feel my heart beating a little faster than normal as I waited for them to take their seats. My mom was the first to speak, "What is it, sweetheart."

"I am going to volunteer to help the children of Siem Reap Province in Cambodia."

Looking back and forth between my parents, I add, "Before you say anything. I want you to know, I already talked to the counselor, Ms. Jennings and all my teachers. I will receive credit for the hours I put in while I am away. For the classes I don't receive credit in, I will be able to make up whichever tests I miss and I will be able to get my assignments online and Jared is going to join me. So I will not be going alone."

My parents both looked at each other, and then back at me before my dad spoke, "Alright, Irmingard. You have our blessing to go."

"Thank you, dad, mom." I was about to get up to hug them both, but my dad held up his hand and asked me to wait for a moment, so I sat back down.

"I just want you to understand we trust you and we have watched you grow into the woman you are today. We are so happy that you decided to give back and take a chance at helping others in need."

I could feel the tears forming as I tried to hold them back. "Thank you, that means a lot."

My parents and I talked for another hour at least before I ran to my room to call Jared and tell him the good news.

#

After 18 hours of airtime, not including the layover. We finally made it to Cambodia at 8 pm, Colorado time. Which is about 10 am the next day here.

I grabbed Jared's hand as we waited for the transport to pick us up to bring us to where we were volunteering and I couldn't help but smile. "We are actually doing this!"

"And we didn't even have to run away to do it." Jared nudged me and started to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I was just scared to try something new. It was just easier to tell myself my parents wouldn't approve."

"We are here now, and just so you know, Iz, I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for you."

I couldn't take it anymore, I was already stepping out of my comfort zone, why not keep going?

"Jared."

"Yeah."

Before I said anything else I slowly lifted my hand to Jared's face and pulled him towards me and finally kissed him back like I should have done last New Years, in response to Jared's bucket list at the beginning of the year. "There. Now I checked off another item from my bucket list too!"