An American woman went viral on social media for her story about faking a British identity for twelve years, but now she is finally ready to come clean.
Attending Summer Camp
A girl was attending summer camp in a different US state. When she left the airport, her best friend called her for a chat.
At the time, as an inside joke, they would fake a random accent when answering the phone. They decided to fake a British accent.
It All Seemed Innocent At First
Meanwhile, a group of people from the summer camp were standing next to her and waiting for the bus to pick them up. She didn’t know anyone at the camp at this time.
Cute Accent
As she walked onto the bus, she was met with an unfamiliar voice. A guy from the camp called her accent “cute” and asked her where she was from.
She Said She Was British
She was so taken aback by it that her anxiety kicked in, and within moments, she found herself responding in kind with a passable fake British accent, saying that she was from “London, England” but moved to the States.
Unfortunately, the lies didn’t cease at that. What happens when you tell a small white lie? This was just the beginning of a whole web of lies.
A New Identity
During the bus ride to the camp, the girl listened to the guy talk about British TV shows like Doctor Who, and she continued to fake her accent.
As a teenager, she lacked the self-esteem and confidence to laugh it off as a bad joke, even though she desperately wanted to.
“NO, DONT DO THAT. IT’S TOO LATE; YOU ARE BRITISH NOW!” Her anxiety told her.
Everybody Heard About It
Everyone on the bus heard the accent and her story about going to the London Theater (although she had never been!) and before she knew it, she had been accepted into the camp with a new identity: British!
Perfecting the Accent
She became great friends with the guy, and she kept up the charade for the next two months of camp.
Thinking that it would be easier to stick with her British accent than explain why she had adopted it in the first place, she worked hard to perfect it.
She even watched YouTube videos on how to fake a better accent and improved her intonation and pitch.
Living a Lie
When camp ended, everyone parted ways, and she never expected to see the guy again.
But over the next twelve years, they kept in touch through FaceTime calls and Snapchat messages—and each time, she would put on her British accent for him.
The Years Went On
As the years went on, they weren’t in touch so much, but she continued to panic about it and live with the deep regret of faking her accent for so long.
It was twelve years later, and while she and the guy were both happily married to other people at this stage, they had remained friends. The lie continued to eat the woman’s mind.
Reactions on Social Media
The reactions to this story on Reddit were helpful (and funny), as users advised the original poster what to do.
“You should just gradually lose your accent. This happens naturally to many people who actually move to different countries, especially as youngsters. I’m impressed you managed to keep it up this long, though!” one user commented.
“Lewis Hamilton, basically,” another commented.
“Pretend to knock your head in front of him and then start speaking with an American accent. That will be hilarious,” another user wrote.
Coming Clean
Recently, however, she mustered up the courage to come clean. After much deliberation, she sent an apology and explanation of what had happened.
Surprisingly, he had an inkling!
“My friend said he suspected for years and just didn’t want to embarrass me,” she wrote. “And thought it wasn’t worth bringing up because we weren’t super close anymore when he figured it out.”
He had also seen videos of her father speaking with a clear American accent at conferences.
Feeling Relieved
He accepted her apology and said he was glad she had finally come clean. His only wish is that she still puts on the British accent if they ever meet in person again!
She felt relieved to have come clean and was grateful for his understanding, though she still felt very embarrassed by the whole experience.
Read More: The Worst Things Teachers Have Confiscated
Teachers have seen it all. So we asked them: what was the worst thing they had ever confiscated from a student?
Their answers would be enough to put you off the teaching career for life.
Read Now: The 20 Worst Things Teachers Have Confiscated From Students
Read More: Dad Let His Son Take “Toy” To Show and Tell, Not Knowing What It Really Was
When Mom’s away, Dad and son will play.
Read More: Dad Let His Son Take “Toy” To Show and Tell, Not Knowing What It Really Was
Read More: She Didn’t Want Her Son To Sleep At His Girlfriend’s Because “Something Felt Very Off”— And She Was Right
To a child, parents’ rules and restrictions may seem arbitrary and controlling. While the occasional rule might be strict, hindsight usually reveals that—more often than not—a parent’s intuition was right.
Read More: Teaching or Chatting?
Did you know that up to 45% of all Americans have a side gig? Do you?
We found probably one of the most enjoyable, rewarding ways to earn money by teaching (chatting) with those who want to learn English online. Log in any time you want, 24/7, and get paid weekly for the hours you put in.
Learn More: Cambly 2023 Review, Requirements & Pay For Tutors (Beginner Friendly)
Read More: Transgender Man Wants To Use The Male Toilets But Feels Uncomfortable— Seeks Advice on Social Media
Do men care who’s in the restroom with them? The debate over gender-neutral bathrooms has usually centered around women’s restrooms. As the conversation continues, trans men have also begun to voice their concerns.
Read Now: Transgender Man Wants To Use The Male Toilets But Feels Uncomfortable— Seeks Advice on Social Media
Conclusion
The story serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to tell the truth, no matter how embarrassing it may be. And while she may still cringe at the memory of her long-running hoax, hopefully, this story will inspire others to watch their tongue!
This was a Reddit discussion about someone faking a British account for 12 years. This post, called Faking a British Accent for 12 Years, was syndicated and produced by TPR Teaching.
I'm an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.
I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I'm always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!
I enjoy traveling, nature walks, and soaking up a new culture. Please share the posts if you find them helpful!