Accent

I was chatting after class with the Hindu classmate that I mentioned earlier, and she told me she's adopted a "Canadian" accent for when she goes into town because her accented Engilsh gives her away as an international student. She was telling me that because I don't have a Japanese accent, at least people will assume that I'm one of 'them'. This hadn't occurred to me before. Besides, it's not like I walk around talking for no reason. Until I open my mouth, people talk to me in a bizzare, slow speech; Supermarket: "HoW ArE U toDA~y?". Also, people don't know what to label me and therefore how to treat me once they find out that I do speak "Canadian". Language is such an integal part of any cultural experience but I know many Canadians who don't comprehend English very well. It's a comment I've heard most of my adult life; "You're in Canada, learn to speak English". I heard it most in high school where certain hallways were labeled Lil China or Lil HK, or in parking lots, or at the local mall. But most of the people who were on the recieving end DO speak English...maybe not fluently but in a place like D.mond, you don't need English to get by. Canada is a nation of immigrants. As a counrty, we are made up of people of so many diffrent ethinic backgrounds with their own languages. Why does my lack of accent give me more agency?? If I never got rid of my accent, could I have identified myself as Canadian like I do now? There are areas in Canada where people speak with heavy accents too. We are all speaking English, but just because it sounds different, the speaker's identity changes too...it has been a very confusing day. All I know is that I should thank my ESL teacher for being so strict, even though she was a very bitter woman and made all the kids cry.