You are 8 years old and in a classroom learning geography. Your teacher talks about the different continents in our world.

She talks about North and South America. She then talks about Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa.

Then she begins speaking about America. She asks the students to raise their hand if they are American in order to show the different countries represented in the classroom.

As you raise your hand, your teacher tells you that you are wrong. “Oh no honey, don’t raise your hand, you are not American, you are South American,” she says.

Humiliated and confused, you place your hand on your lap.

You wonder, what is the difference between America and South America?

Then you realize she was not referring to America as a continent, but as a country.

Many people from Latin American countries have been surprised by the way the terms America and American are used since at school they have been taught that Latin America is part of America, the name given to the New World.

Some might even think that since the full name of the country is the United States of America it can gives the impression that it is the only country that represents the continent.

If you ask people that are from Latin American countries if they consider themselves American, most might answer you with a yes; they are American because they live in America (the continent).

There is a term for people who are from the United States of America in the Spanish-spoken Latin America. It is “estadounidense,” which translates into “United Statian.”

While the term sounds rather silly in English — since it doesn’t exist — “estadounidense” is the term that Latin American newspapers printed in Spanish will use when referring to the people of the United States.

Even Mexicans, whose country’s full name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States), use the term “estadounidense” when referring to the people that live immediately north of the border.

Although Mexicans refer to themselves as “mexicanos” and not “estadounidenses” because they live in the Mexican states, some might also consider themselves Americans because they live in America (the continent).

Since in English the term for people of the United States is American and the French term translates into American as well, Canadians do not consider themselves Americans. But geographically, would they be Americans? If we consider the New World to be America, then yes.

Some people from Latin America might argue that the country was named United States of America as an idea to make the continent one. E Pluribus Unum, out of many one, which was the motto selected for the United States in 1776, could be interpreted as the vision to make North and South America one. However, the national motto appears on the Great Seal referencing to the integration of the 13 colonies.

When my friend shared her story about sitting in a classroom as an 8-year-old girl, being told that she is not American simply because she is not from the United States, I was not surprised.

While in Latin America it is taught that the New World is America, in the United States students learn that America is a country.

I remember having a conversation with my first roommate about how South Americans are Americans and remember how she disagreed because this country’s name is America.

I told her how as a Puerto Rican I considered myself American, and in response she said, “Puerto Rico is already part of the United States.” However, the island is also part of the Americas.

While the idea of America as a continent or a country depends on the system of education in which you studied, think about it.

If people from South America are South Americans and people from North America are North Americans, wouldn’t all of them be Americans?