Chapter 11: Almost in Paradise

Le Ly gets a new job as a nurse aid at the hospital in Danang. She learns more about the American culture through her new boyfriend who works as a medical technition at the hospital named Greg. With his feature of having red colored hair, he has been given the epithet Red.

"Fortunately, a red-haired, freckled young American-- a U.S. Navy medical technician named Greg (although everybody called him 'Red') whom I had met on my first day and with whom I had talked briefly during my breaks-- became aware of my plight" (275).

She discovers the American culture of dancing, music, lust, and night clubs. Red pressures Le Ly into quitting her job at the hospital, wearing make up, having sex, drinking, and almost dancing topless at a night club. She is challenged to follow her beliefs and discovers her own boundaries through her experiences.



Peer pressure challenges teens constantly. Some teens are pressured constantly into doing things that may be harmful to them. Drugs and alcohol can damage a teens' future. To learn more about how drugs can harm you go to http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts.