Thank you, Moni...........this certainly gives one thought.

My girlfriend is also from Germany (she got this off the web). I knew, how all this felt, back when I met her. It's a pretty strong bond you end up having with others from the same country... as well as with everyone from a different country.

I volunteered very strongly to become her little girls granny! I didn't want her to grow up without a granny nearby. Unfortunately I ended up moving two hours away, back when I was still married... and my ex had a choice of staying with his job and moving, or quitting, when he messed up at work; when I lived there....

To this day, the feelings are really weird, when people ask me about my accent... or, why I still have an accent.

Honest, I am still not ready (after almost 45 years here) to try and get rid of my accent. It is a part of me.. it defines me, or at least, it does so in my head.

Moni

Just edited... found a spelling mistake... that really messes me up, I really would love to know, I don't make spelling mistakes.....

Most immigrants never lose their beautiful native accents, thank goodness. I'm one who asks about accents, Moni, but because I'm genuinely curious and interested. Heck, I ask all kinds of people about their accents....it's fun to guess where they're from. I've never had anyone, native born or not, not want to talk about their home country or hometown.

My dear SIL is English, and though she's been here since the 60s, she hasn't lost one bit of her accent. However, my brother now speaks with a decided British accent, lol!!

What's struck me in the past is how hard it is for people to go back home and visit. It's usually out of the question financially, and I realize how hard they are trying to survive with little savings.

I hope you never forget where you came from, who you are, or your past. It's what makes you... YOU

Moni, if I ever have the honor of meeting you in person, and tears start to roll when I hear you speak, know it will be because I will love your accent!

My dad was born and raised in Germany. He came to the USA in the early 1920's, after serving in WWI. He was from a fairly wealthy family, but they lost everything in that war, including his older brother. He came here under the impression he would be able to get a job and make a lot of money to send home to help his dad & younger siblings. It did sound like a good idea. How it worked was another story. Turned out America was not the promised land he had been led to believe. But, he met my mother, fell in love, they were married, and he never did get back to Germany until sometime in the 1960's, he and my mom went when his dad passed away, then again when his sister died a few years later. But I do know he sent money 'home to the old country' well up into the late 50's. He was treated terribly during WWII. His accent kept him from getting a decent job during the Depression and during WWII. I can't even begin to imagine what he felt inside himself, living here, having learned to love this country, but a younger brother was in the German army. He was believed to have been killed, but no one has ever known for sure where or when (for sure) or where his body may have been buried. I think my dad tried to find his brother's widow, he wanted to get her and their child out of Germany, but was never able to find her or what may have happened to them.

My dad never lost his accent completely. As he aged, it even became more pronounced, to the point where the last time I saw him, a month or so before he passed away, he was speaking almost as much in German as he was in English.

So you see, German accents bring back many memories for me. I have no problem at all with legal immigrants. I can sort of understand how it feels. But not completely. Only someone who has actually lived it can really understand, but I have lived very close to it.

And I hope you always keep at least a part of your accent.

Rusty

Moni, thank you. I too know how this feels. The writer is absolutely right.

I sure don't know how that feels. When I was a child I used to wonder how both my Grandfathers could leave parents behind never to see them again. I knew nothing about them except what I am learning now through genealogy research. When my family emigrated here my Maternal Grandmother's parents had already came over a year before so she wasn't leaving her family behind. My neighbours are from overseas, she doesn't get to go back to the "old country" very often to see her Mom and I know it weighs heavily on her. I think it takes a strong person to do this.

My grandfather came over when he was a little child, in the early 1900's. He told us that he often saw his mother crying as she ironed. He asked why, she said because she'd never touch or see her own parents again. Visiting the old country was unaffordable. I don't know if they were ever able to phone, or if that technology was also too expensive until too late. So, as much as I despise ironing clothes, I hold onto my great-grandmother's ironing board ... a little connection with my family's past. And I too admire people who are strong enough to seek a better life for their children.

Funny you should ask this. Alex, my exchange student and I Skyped with my cousin and her daughter in Japan on Saturday. She told me that my mom was the bravest and strongest in her family. I guess because she left everything and everyone she knew for the U.S. She never saw her parents or one of her sisters alive again. She did go back once but that was long after her parents had passed away. The first time we Skyped there was miscommunication with my cousin's daughter and we all thought all but one of my mom's brothers was still alive. I never met them before but hearing that was so emotional for me and I cried like a baby in front of everyone. Found out Saturday that all three are still alive! They're in poor health, though, so am hoping to save to go next year for a visit.

Oh, and my mom and all of her Filipino, Japanese and Korean friends all kept their accents for all the years they lived here...my mom was here since the 50s, so for about 45 years she still had a strong accent.

Thank you, arcy and family.