The Cellar - An American Place?

Originally Posted by monster

... Very few people who have not lived on the both sides of the Atlantic for an extended period of time, have any idea how different the US and UK are -the commonality in language lures us into a false sense of security.

As I was walking into an outdoor cafe near the canal zone in Panama City, a young man (late teens - early twenties) with black hair and brown skin got up from the table where he had been seated with others and approached me. With a Spanish accent he asked in English "Excuse me, are you American?" I replied "Yes." He exclaimed "I'm American too!" I said "Yes, I know ... I'm North American." He looked down; then, up again and said "You're OK, would you like to join us?" I respectfully declined (I was with coworkers and choosey about where we sat for security).

It's noteworthy that "Americans" who speak English as a second language (not just those residing in the rest of the Americas; but, US citizens and non-citizens residing here) have not found their way to the Cellar in the numbers that primary English speakers from elsewhere have. Perhaps a common language offers a real sense of security.