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MM: So I had a dinner with these people, they were all men, of course. (...) was from Iraq, Congo... oh, let's see, there were five of them. And one from Italy... oh, one from Pakistan, and I don't remember where the other one was.

VY: When was this?

MM: This was in the year 2000. So they're going to look at education (in the year) 2000. What I found out from that (dinner meeting), it's not only for their learning, you learn about your own country. Well, do you know that United States and Canada are the only ones with community colleges? (Others) only have education for elementary, (secondary schools), and college. There was no middle ground for you to explore, and gain your skills or change your skills. Do you know how many people are going back to community college now, because they hate the profession they're in, and they choose another one, right? So my niece was in geology, but she hated it. It was all paperwork. Because in New Jersey, where she's the geologist, she has to make sure that the underground water under the land that (people were) buying was appropriately New Jersey's. So she hated it, it was all paperwork. (...)

My sister was training emergency (medicine for) ambulances, workers. Her friend was starting (a school and) she was a teacher, so she went there. She thought that was much more interesting than geology, looking at this. So she went back to school. She went to junior college and got her physician assistant degree. I mean, she went back to junior college so she could have the prerequisite courses needed to get her physician assessment in Drexel University, four year university, and that's what it's good for. In this era where people have professions they don't know anything about, but the profession they're in is... and so it was clear to me, it was so surprising to me, that (junior colleges) didn't exist. And one of them said, "You know, we really need that," and the other one said, "I don't know how that was possible."

But the other thing that came up in that conversation was, he's from Iraq, he said, "I understand we have gay people. How do you become gay?" Well, I live in a city where we have a lot of gay people, but nobody ever asks a question like that. The man from Congo explained to him, "You're born (that way), you can be different." And it was all these men telling this other man, who was not allowed to talk, this was a forbidden subject. And they all told him about how it's natural, and you know what goes on, and no big deal. It was just wonderful.

So I have these wonderful dinners for people from other countries to have this, like, Servas experience of exploring what they believe. And that's what I do, and I've been doing that for thirty years. It's just so enriching.

VY: Yeah, I can tell. I mean, it just sounds so... just that concept you were talking about earlier, about having, sending people, even into your own community to learn about it, and then come back to you with that information. You can learn from what they learned, I mean, I feel like we could use a lot more of that today.

MM: Well, there was a Japanese man who was a Servas traveler, he and his wife came and stayed with me. And he said, "You know, we don't have volunteerism in Japan. Would you find a volunteer experience for me so I can understand it?" And I said, "All right." So it was Christmas time, and so I assigned him to a place that gave out free food. And it's a church about two blocks from my house. It's a Turkish Christian church, St. Gregory, and they give out free food. He was giving a big cabbage to a lady. (...). So these people have to come across the town on the bus, and they're all Chinese that go in for this free food. So they ask, "Why do you come here if you don't live in this area?" And she said, "I am an old lady. I live with my children and my grandchildren, and I'm showing my children that I'm contributing to the household by bringing this food." He thought that was such a wonderful experience. And then I assigned him to St. Anthony's Dining Room in San Francisco. And it was during Christmastime, so they would have to wrap gifts. And his wife said, "I didn't know you could wrap gifts that well." He said, "Don't forget, my father was a grocer in Japan. And when you're a grocer, you brought food for a nice gift, right, when people give gifts." And so she said after thirty years of marriage, look at this nice surprise. Well, they went back to Japan, and he set up a volunteer support food distribution program for seniors in his community on minimal retirement wages. And everybody loved it, and it was a success. But that's from having a Servas member visit and volunteer and go back.

VY: Well, that's amazing. I mean, it really fits into your whole life story, really, and your upbringing and how you have just really kind of continued to live the values of your parents.

MM: Yes, yes. It feels so comfortable to me, yes. And I love the work. I've been on the Board for the U.S. Servas. (I was) elected vice president in (Servas) International, and I've also been head of the Development Committee in (Servas International).

It's just meeting people from eighty different countries that are voting together, and democracy is not something that comes naturally. And it is a shock to try to explain this, but we use voting and we (make) changes in laws. (Minutes are) written in Spanish and English at the same time, they're posted, (projected on the wall), and people (who) can speak both languages, and say, oh, it's not the same. And so you have the minutes that come out of that meeting that were posted, that everybody agreed to, and it's all done when you leave the meeting. So, I mean, I've seen wonderful international management through this organization.

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