Mmm the dance/chance vowel sound is a point of common regional variation in the Australian accent. The NZ accent has some variation too - it's non-rhotic except in the case of some Southlanders who, as a result of Scottish immigration, really emphasize their 'r' sounds (especially noticeable when they say words like bird). And there is also some Maori variation.

And yeah that's right, I moved when I was 13. I lost my Australian accent pretty quickly (within 2 years of coming here) - well I guess I didn't lose it so much as it morphed into some weird but harmless Australian/NZ hybrid. I'm envious of people who don't lose their accents like one of my teachers from high school who moved here 15 years ago from Australia and still sounds completely fresh. I do wonder what would have happened to mine if I'd moved over as an adult but I guess you've answered my question there. :D

I find accents, dialects and language in general to be fascinating. I was reading a book on animal behaviour about 5 years ago which talked about songbirds having regional accents which makes sense given their mechanism of song learning. Maybe tore knows a bit more about it?

Some pics of where I live:

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...09100405sm.jpg
A nice view of the Richmond "skyline" from a footbridge that crosses the James River.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...100408sm-1.jpg
Another shot of the James River (from Belle Island) looking toward the center of town. Here you can see the footbridge where I took the previous shot, suspended from the automobile bridge.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...00608b01sm.jpg
Some of the more interesting architecture on the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) campus. Those ugly window-mounted air conditioners are everywhere though.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...051706sm-1.jpg
One of the nice parks by the river, where the vegetation is so unusually lush you think you're in Louisiana and not Virginia.

Next I post pics from farther west.

Really loved that park in your last pic, not many have a river.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...00506a01sm.jpg
Some typical countryside in western Virginia, with lots of nice rolling hills.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...09102508sm.jpg
You can find plenty of run-down farm buildings like these too.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...00506a11sm.jpg
Camping in the George Washington National Forest, near Staunton.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...09121814sm.jpg
A park near my old home after the big snowstorm this December. We didn't get this kind of snow for like 15 years, and then we got it twice within the past 10 months, haha.

Those are all photos I've taken, so there are a few nice areas I haven't included. Lots of historic buildings in Charlottesville because of UVA and all the early Presidents who lived in that area. Staunton is also a pretty town.

I was born and raised in Seattle, but I live in DC now.

I lived in Richmond for 4 years before moving to Maine a year and a half ago. Church Hill represent!

You ever get drunk or catch shows at MacCormack's?

One of those pictures from the West looks like Skyline Drive.

http://edsphotoblog.com/wp-content/p...l_at_night.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/...30611f071c.jpg

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1849...Manchester.gif

MANCHESTER LA LA LAAAAAAA

Cool. I used to do a lot of urban exploration over there, haha. Did you go to VCU?

Nope, but I hardly ever go out to places (really introverted and also kinda poor). Where is it? Maybe I'll check it out sometime.

If you mean the one with the guard rail in it, that's I-64. Not sure I've ever been on Skyline Drive. They charge you like $15 to get on it, don't they?

Neptune

Did we find another Welshy? I've been lonely since Mr.Sensitive left.

Thats very acurate on the scot's over pronouncing Rs, I get confused though as you say the word "Dance" sounds like "Tap" with Aussies, and "Dance" sounds like "Father" with NZ'rs, but at the same point in time, it may weird you all out that someone called William gets called Billy here, and the surname "Thomson" (My own) is mostly said like "Tamson" so I kind of get you, I just find it hard to place/imagine the accent.

Do you wish you still had your Aussie accent? I'd be pretty distraught if I lost my Scottish accent, truthfully. I find (Like yourself) that I'm pretty fascinated with accents. I'm mostly fascinated by Irish because it's so similar yet so different to my own. Irish, Aussie/NZ (Same thing really to me, sorry if this offends you!) and American!

I never knew Manchester was so pretty! :O

Oh ****, a Maine-iac! Hella family from there. I could ramble on about LL Bean, the Yarmouth Clam Festival, Lobstah, Sam's Deli, or Allagash Brewing Co.... but you already know.

I think MacCormack's is off of 3rd or 4th ave. It right down by the river.

I couldn't tell you if they charge to drive Skyline. My uncle used to live around there. It's been a while since I was on that road. But I was camping not far from Charlottesville last July.

Parents are English but born and raised in Hong Kong. Went to university in Melbourne, Australia.

Mumbai, India

Missouri in the hannibal region which as some of you is the home town of Samuel Clemens.

Vancouver Canada. Heaven on Earth.

Excited about the Olympics? I saw the torch twice - once in Toronto and then a couple of days later in Hamilton. But your city gets to experience the whole thing :D

i think it would be neat to be able to watch the olypics live but those prices are a little steep

Ya for sure. It's going to be crazy busy. Can't get in or out of the city with a car.

The town is pretty stoked. I have tickets to a few events...looking forward to the Gold Medal hockey final...

PS..Im from Hamilton...upper. What part you in?

What a small world! I'm living in Westdale just for the school year (go Mac!), then it's back to Toronto for the summer holidays.

I really dig Vancouver. Thought about going up to see some of the Olympics but it's too pricey for me, not to mention confusing. I'm not used to attending sporting events.

I went to Mac! The John took years off my life. I went to Saltfleet in Stoney Creek.

LOVE Seattle...go twice a year. Just was at Amber for dinner..then the Chapel for drinks...great city.

I went to high school in downtown Toronto, but I know where Saltfleet is. Also, I think the John is closed now - we just have the Phoenix and Twelve Eighty (which used to be called Quarters). What did you take?

Poli Science..you?

Music, and some Poli Sci :)

Humboldt County, California

the US, as many many others)))

Ive posted in this thread a long time ago but never posted any pictures. I was born in Sunderland but its not exactly the most beautiful place, neither is the little town i live in. But im not far from Newcastle where i lived briefly and want to move back there. Newcastle isnt much further from me than Sunderland is anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/im...sk_470x313.jpg

http://www.abroadlanguages.com/learn..._newcastle.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/...c42e39.jpg?v=0

Czech Republic - Prague :)

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...af14bc2c1b.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...add657da1d.jpg

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...cd079d2bd4.jpg

Prague is absolutely beautiful! I'd love to visit someday!

Thanks. So I wish you to manage it :) I like my hometown but with sun and good weather everything looks better.

Booyah!
 

http://http://www.terragalleria.com/...133.small.jpeg

ok, 20 posts. How many again do I need to post pics?

This is where I was born (Užice, Serbia)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cePB051926.jpg
http://sites.etleboro.com/files/phot...,%20Srbija.jpg

This is where I grew up and finished elementary school, and where my parents still live (Lazarevac, Serbia)
http://www.beograd.rs/beoinfo/1292710_Lazarevac_v.jpg
http://www.nacionalnarevija.com/imag...CRKVA%2001.jpg

And this is where I live now (Belgrade, Serbia)

http://www.marri-rc.org/upload/belgrade_by_night.jpg
http://gicl.cs.drexel.edu/people/sev...rade_night.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7117/knez1yl4.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...ova-during.jpg

^ Those are beautiful.

On my way up to Aberdeen snowboarding I seen some gorgeous sights.

Like Perth at night time.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/110/2...55ebedfdd9.jpg
The slopes.
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/f...lenshee-26.jpg
Closer to home. I spent all/most of my childhood playing in this Castle, I used to get free admission as my uncle worked on maintaining it. It's basically a 5 min walk from my house.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...han_Castle.jpg
http://www.rabbie.net/craignethan_02_360.jpg

OMG! That looks so cool. My face is turning green with jealousy xD

That Castle made the best games of hide and seek ever. I'm not going to lie. :D

Wow I really do need to get my butt over to Europe!