I came to America from Thailand about 7 years ago. Despite the fact that I tried really hard to learn how to speak the language correctly, I still have Thai accent on some English pronunciations. I remember someone said to me, "Go back to your country and learn to speak English right." That exact phrase continues to echo in my ears until today. People do not make fun of the way I talk as much as they used to. But they do anyway whenever the accent comes out.
How can a person judge other people by their accents? How can you tell which is the correct English accent? Just because some of us do not pronounce certain words soundly, that doesn't mean we're stupid. For some reason, many Americans thought I was deaf or mentally ill. I hardly had any friends the first few months I was in school due to the fact that I could not communicate with other kids. Thank God for my athletic abilities, I was able to play with the boys in my class during lunch breaks.
Having an accent was very frustrating because no one understood me. They never corrected me either. Thus, I closed myself and became a really shy student. I was always quiet in classrooms and never participated in any of the class discussions. Trust me, that alone can change you mentally and physically. I began having new personalities and hated myself for who I was. For the first time, I comprehended the feeling of isolation.
I've seen many ESL students stick together in a group. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hispanics, etc. were all attached to each other according to their native languages. This became a problem when they spoke only in their mother tongue outside the classrooms, which reduced their chances of gaining fluent English speaker as friends. Perhaps it is one of the reasons why many immigrants are not as articulate in English even if they have been living in America for more than 5 years.
Now, I speak somewhat like a regular American teenager. Half of me is happy for what I've accomplished. Another half of me is disappointed that I am losing my accent, which used to be what set me apart from other English or non-English speakers. My parents' distinctive accent, on the other hands, lingers. Every time they speak, I can feel the other party who is fluent in English looking down on them. Sometimes I get the feelings that we are not wanted in America just because we cannot speak perfect English.
I'm tired of people insulting "immigrants" for our accents. I'd like to see you try going to another country and learn a new language without the help of English. Maybe then, you will understand how we feel.
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I love accents. Most of the time I find them unique and beautiful. Don't try to be someone who you are not just because of ignorant people who do not appreciate you.
Sometimes they are difficult to understand but soooo coool!
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth!~JFK
this has motivated me
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/speakonitsista
I think accents are beautiful whether they are from foreign cultures or just foreign to me! What girl wouldn't fall for an attractive, intelligent French person [stereotypical but still ... ooo la la!] Plus, who is to say what the "real" English accent & correct pronunciations are when our country is so diverse? New Jersey natives aren't going to talk the same as a Texan, & then there is the whole subject of Ebonics.
My friend taught me how to say hello in Thai once, but I can't remember. Let's see if I can dig it up.......Sawadeeka, is that right? o_o I remember she said something about male and female, but I don't remember what she said.
I was an immigrant myself, I understand what you mean. When I came to America, I barely spoke a word of English. I was put into a class with all "American". I spent all day sitting in class, waiting for the bell. At lunch time, I would just walk around the playground, picking up rocks. Lolz doesn't it sound pathetic? But it was true. Good thing I had someone go home with. Else, I would probably cry all the way home o_o
I'm glad to know you have achievement, unlike me
I'm still a lost duck 
I came here when I was nine, thus I was able to adapt to the language better, that's why I don't have much accent (or so I hope). I am glad for it, because people can understand me more easily. I don't think it's a shame to lose the accent. It's only a shame when you lose the culture and language.