I love words that illustrate different perspectives. Hybrid. Hyphenated. Bilingual. Multicultural. Synthesis. They point to the richness possible with human groups. Soy panameña y americana. Can you split the two? Born and raised in Panama, I left my tiny isthmus for Los Estados Unidos de America on the cusp of twenty. In my thirties, I swore allegiance to my adopted country. I worked as book editor and designer and studied the art and craft of writing at the Sarah Lawerence Writing Institute. I love cats and hats. That is, the Panama Hat.