Last summer while in the States on a medical furlough to fix my cataracts, my niece turned to me and said “you’ve lost your American accent!” I laughed because that definitely WAS NOT true! Instead my accent may have gotten weaker, but she was probably referring to the fact that I say things an American just wouldn’t say.
This morning I was having a conversation with someone, and they suddenly stopped me. “where did you learn to say that?” they asked (referring to a Vincentian saying or form of speech). I smiled and said “here!”
The truth is I at this point I’m mostly Vincentian, with some American, and Australian thrown in because I lived there for six years.
In 2018 I got cable in Saint Vincent hoping they would offer American sports. They didn’t offer most games (which wasn’t surprising) but they DID offer something better. Australian Rules Football (or AFL) and Rugby! The honest truth is AFL is my FAVORITE sport to watch since it’s the most exciting I’ve ever seen.
Culture is an amazing thing because we can adapt to it. I’ll always be American till the day I die and love America, but by the grace of God I’ve also been influenced by the Caribbean, and Australian cultures.
So I am an American, but I also season my fish and chicken with every kind of spice you can possibly imagine, and long for a proper flat white.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Johnhwilburn.com 
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