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2019-11-03 Discussion group

I had a great time hosting a discussion group today. I met Van Hur, the discussion group organizer, five years ago. He later joined TNKR as a tutor, so he saw TNKR in our early days. Last year, he even set up a fundraiser for TNKR.

It was a fun and friendly group, a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon (and dinner!). 











We talked about many things! Trump, media, North Korean refugees, discussion groups, groping on subways in Japan and Korea, technology, sports, favorite activities, dancing, sports, archery, etc.

A few interesting notes for me:

* I wasn't eager to talk about TNKR, but when they asked me a few questions, I jumped into it. I was really trying to discuss the news articles prepared for the session, but they kept asking me about TNKR and North Korean refugees. Were they really interested--or could it be that no one had read the articles, so it was like back in high school trying to get the teacher to chit-chat to avoid the main lesson?

* When I asked if any of them had been connected with causes, they all said they had not. I have been involved with a number of causes over the past 2 decades, it is really a different world! I was trying to explain the state of mind of activists and various tactics that they try to wake up allegedly apathetic people around the world.

* It is good to get away from activists and advocates sometimes. Talking with the attendees yesterday gave me a chance to hear questions from people asking man (or woman) on the street questions about North Korean refugees. If you can't explain your cause succinctly, then you will lose most people.

* After we got through discussion about North Korean refugees, we then turned to many general topics.

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