You might remember that I was recognized as being from Philadelphia because of my accent when we first moved here. As our one-year anniversary in Oregon gets closer, it appears that my Philadelphia accent is not diminishing.
I had to pick up Gavin from summer camp about two weeks ago while Kenny was away. I sat down at the table where Gav and a friend were playing Legos and started talking to them.
Friend: Are you Gavin’s mom?
Me: Yep!
Friend: ‘k. Can you help me find some legs for this guy? (holds up legless Lego guy.)
Me: Sure thing. Do you like playing Legos?
Friend: Ummm – are you from China?
Me: (chuckling at the thought of where this was coming from and where it might be going but trying to hold back): Am I from China? No.
Friend: Hmmm. Welllllll… your voice sounds funny.
Me (trying very hard not to crack up): Oh! I think I know why.
Friend: Because you are from China?
Me (totally giggling at this point): No, but I AM from Philadelphia, and that’s pretty far away from here. It’s alllll the way across the country – like 6 hours on an airplane. We probably do sound a little different from people who live here.
That seemed to appease him. Gavin has since asked me on two separate occasions why his friend thought we were from China and if he really does talk funny. I tell him no – and in fact – he’ll probably sound more like folks from Oregon than folks from Pennsylvania since he’ll spend his formative years here. (Well, that, but I said it in a way that a 5 year old would understand.)
Good to know that I am still representin’ to the point that a 4 year old can discern that I don’t sound like all the other adults he interacts with regularly. Couple that with the fact that I yelled ‘yo!’ to get my kids’ attention over the weekend, and, yep, still a Philadelphia girl.