You're right, an American experiencing European culture is slightly different than a German-born woman living in Germany and communicating in English. Quite different. Both are equally valid experiences, but different. Quite different. In my last job, it is so true, after supervising 2 German young women, born, raised and educated in Germany with home still in Germany. They were on work visas here in Canada. Totally different from Canadian-born German woman that I worked with in another job, who was raised in Canada and then lived/worked in Switzerland for 7 years for the Canadian embassy there.

So far, I also have interpreted the baby boomer phenomena ascribed to primarily for North America. Not sure about the Commonwealth: U.K., etc. Perhaps our members can enlighten us without extensive research. Was there a big baby boom after WWII?

Diversity I am speaking of includes women of colour who are also born /families have been part of North America for 2-3-4 generations. We have no Afro-American women here except Songbird drops by and then there was someone else who posted, who was here for awhile. Other than Diamond (who has an incredible mixed race heritage. Ask her.) and myself, nothing.

There is a cultural norm/vibe that does require a woman to figure out and participate. It is unintentional but the vibe is created from the women who participate here collectively. It takes time to figure it. But I would submit here, that it is not productive to say "it's perfect, let's not change'...groups get tight/cliquish and stagnate in terms of ideas and thoughts. Tendency to talk about the same stuff ie. American-based (this is in response to Mountain Ash's latest comments about lack of much hinterest in her end of the world.) Or maybe that's what people want, how they define a "safe" harbour for a virtual cup of coffee and chat.

And unfortunately because there are so few of us posting here, that it decreases the probability of meeting an active poster for many members, living within a geographic area that is not so far flung. ie. within 1 day's car drive or so.

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Mountain Ash: Maybe I'll just start talking abit later about what is happening where we live ..when the Winter Olympics 2010 will descend upon us in 2 months. We live downtown within 1- kms. of major event venues and it's affecting our daily lives abit now and for next few months.

Just talk about certain things locally that relate to other things that are happening similarily elsewhere. Why not? Americans don't ask for permission / test non-Americans for their interest/disinterest on American stuff. And I'm not even referring to politics. More cultural/historical events, activities and trends.