This morning we met with professor Gary Weaver, of American University. The subject was, in effect, what it is to be an American. The basic summary: the main unifying traits of "Americans" is our independent, self-reliant, "do" oriented ethos. He tied this to numerous characteristics and behaviors, one of the most interesting of which was the phrase "can you spare some change?" As he explained, the phrasing is not an explicit ask for help; rather, it is a suggestion of excess - "clearly, you have change you don't need, and I'll take it from you". Conversely, to sat "will you give me money is to acknowledge one's own inability to be self-reliant or independent. Very interesting. And now... Off to Dulles.