Higado

It was no secret that Becca had had a rough start to her Peace Corps service, or perhaps it was to some, either way, times had been less than desirable in those early months. But a strange sort of shift had started within her that she couldn’t have seen coming. 

The day that she did finally notice it left her in a brilliant mixture or glee and total shock. Sitting at lunch with two friends, Monica and Gina, during vacation, Becca ordered a menu which consisted of soup, a main course and a drink. As they chit-chatted, the truth came out.

“I really like this place and it’s so sunny, I feel like I never---,” Monica began.

“Score!” Becca exclaimed staring into her soup. Sifting through with her spoon for a moment, she revealed a small, smooth, brownish blob. “I got higado*! I love higado!” She plopped it in her mouth and grinned wildly as she chewed.

“Becca...” Monica began, but stopped short, running out of whatever thought she’d had as she watched Becca, still enjoying her soup while bopping about to the loud peruvian music playing in the street.

“Oh sorry, I cut you off, what were you saying?” Becca said innocently.

“Are you dancing?” Monica asked, still confused.

“How can you not dance to this music? It’s so catchy, I love this song,”

“Becca...” Monica began again. “Who are you right now?”

Becca paused for a moment and looked at her grinning friend and found herself confused for a moment as well. In a matter of months the girl who never danced and would have blanched at the thought of higado was...well, this...? “I have no idea, I’ll keep you posted,” she answered and finished her soup.

*Higado = Liver

Timeline

During the days that made up her final month at home, she experienced a slew of emotions comparable only to that of a puberty ridden pre-teen. She packed, sorted out her affairs, and spent time with her loved ones and while she was beyond excited she couldn’t quite shake feeling like she was dying. As it turned out, it wasn’t easy to leave everything behind for 27 months of Peace Corps service in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. Who knew?

Still she examined the events that had gotten her here with pride;

Fall, 2005: Wrote an essay about the gap between the rich and the poor for her 11th grade history class and impressed her teacher who directed her to consider the Peace Corps. 

January, 2011: After college and during an AmeriCorps term, Becca decided it was time to think about the Peace Corps again.

June 16, 2011: Finished Application

June 28, 2011: Finished extra paperwork and fingerprinting

July 1, 2011: Got a call to arrange an interview

July 12, 2011: Interviewed at the Seattle office, received nomination at the end of the interview.

Early August, 2011: Received Medical paperwork

Late September, 2011: Completed and sent in Medical Paperwork

Mid-November, 2011: Received a call from Medical Clearance office explaining that she was being put on a obligatory mental health deferral until June, 2012 due to previous concerns.

May 17, 2012: Finished and sent in Dental paperwork.

June 12, 2012: Finished deferral paperwork and finally sent in the very last piece of Medical Clearance paperwork.

June 28, 2012: Received call from Medical Office saying she’d been cleared Medically and to expect a call from a placement officer within a couple of months.

July 5, 2012: Received a call from Placement Office for a short follow up interview and an invitation to serve in South America starting in Mid-September. 

July 11, 2012: Received full packet of information and official written invitation to serve in Peru 2012-2014.

July 13, 2012: Officially Accepted offer to serve.

It all felt like a million years ago now, but then Becca found herself incapable of understanding time at this point. The days dragged and flew at the same time as her final month in the states came to a close and September 13 grew closer. All she could do was keep breathing, keep packing, and keep desperately trying to learn Spanish.