Jeff Dinert CP5

On Sunday July !0 myself Hoa, Hoa's wife (whose name I have stupidly forgotten) and my lady friend Rebecca all went out for Mexican food, and like a double date with conversation. They Phan's had never had Mexican food, and we all sat around conversing for a couple of hours about all sorts of things. I asked Hoa's wife if she would allow me to help her with her Pharmacy license test in English when she had to take it as a favor to help me learn to tutor better and she agreed and it is exciting to think of doing in the future. We all enjoyed our food and then ended up talking about the United States and its charity to the rest of the world. The Phan's thought the US was very charitable, but also wondered why they went to countries in wars under the guise of charity when it seemed to have more to do with personal gain. I said that was a great question, and even more interesting is why most Americans when slightly under the same suspicion would just sort of be alright with being essentially misled abut something so serious as war? They expressed that they thought I was a little too hard on the Us but I said although we believe in charity our usual response was to hit something with a wave of money and enthusiasm, and then in large part back off, almost as if the little bit of worry for another passes with the gesture, but the long haul was limited to a few people with those kind of principles and beliefs already built into their development. In any case I said I loved being American, but sometimes was disappointed with our detachment from our own beliefs as if our opinions were more important than what we said we would do. They did not quite get it, but thought that my friend Rebecca should definitely go to Vietnam with me and it would be a wonderful experience. I love those folks, funny, interesting, and waiting for the right moment to get me interested in Vietnam. Dinner ended with a fond evening, and me and Hoa will meet again on Wednesday.