MY KIDS MAKE FUN OF MY ACCENT ALL THE TIME. THIS GETS THEM TOLD THEY’RE ALLOWED TO MAKE FUN OF MY ACCENT IN ENGLISH WHEN THEY MUSTER A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO MORE THAN A PITIFUL “WHERE IS THE BATHROOM” LEVEL.  I’LL BE NICE AND NOT DEMAND THEY BE ABLE TO WRITE NOVELS IN IT, AS WELL: Not Racism.

(And Kim is right. If I’d stayed here after my exchange student year, I’d probably have lost my accent. Going back for those four years was the fatal misstep.)