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Here is an edited version of the story: All of Deborah's friends had ambitious plans for after college: Joe was going to graduate school, Camilla was going to work for a big company, and Amir was starting his own business. Deborah, on the other hand, wanted only to ride elephants in India, float down the Amazon in Brazil, and explore the jungles of Indonesia. When Deborah told her friends that she was waiting tables at Louie's, saving every dime for her adventure, and living with her parents, they were not impressed. Joe raised the corners of his mouth, but he did not smile; Camilla said "That's nice," but the phrase sounded false; and Amir smirked, which was always a sign that he disapproved. At first Deborah was ashamed of herself, but she worked hard, saved, and eventually bought a round-the-world ticket. On her travels, she ended up doing more than sightseeing: in India, she taught in a girls' school; in Brazil, she assisted a doctor; and in Borneo, she helped a botanist who was documenting endangered species. When, after three years, Deborah eventually returned home, she looked up her old friends, visited them, and asked about their successes. Joe, who was writing his thesis, was wracked with tension; Camilla, who had been laid off from her job, was depressed; and Amir, who was trying to keep his business alive, was exhausted from lack of sleep. No one smirked, offered empty comments, or smiled false smiles. Instead, Deborah's old friends admired her, envied her, and asked how she'd managed to live so fully.
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