Thanks! And likewise!

Yes! Re: affluence. I understood that you doubt your vocabulary but honestly, it really can help non-native speakers if your vocabulary isn't as awesome as the average Oxford English major graduate.

Example: when I was working for an international company in Cairo my colleagues requested for me to do the talking rather than my British counterparts because they could actually understand what I was saying much more easily. It was similar when I worked in Milan and Paris but less explicit: it's often easier for non-native people to understand other non-native speakers than natives.