From Ohio to Oxford (in My Head, at Least)
Let me tell you, life throws curveballs. Sometimes they’re literal, like the time I tried to join a softball league and ended up with a black eye. (Don’t ask.) This time, however, the curveball was purely auditory, and it took up residence inside my own head. You see, I, a perfectly normal girl from Ohio, woke up one morning with a British accent. In my head, of course. Outwardly, I still sounded like the Midwestern girl next door. But on the inside? Pure London, darling.
I remember it vividly. I was making coffee, contemplating the mysteries of a perfectly toasted bagel, when my inner voice piped up, clear as day, with a crisp, “I say, wouldn’t a spot of tea be delightful this morning?”
At first, it was disorienting, like someone had swapped out my internal monologue with a BBC radio drama. Grocery shopping became a comedy of errors.
“Right, then,” my inner voice would say, “let’s see about procuring some biscuits.”
Of course, I’d then wander the aisles for a good ten minutes, utterly bewildered, until I remembered that “biscuits” meant “cookies” in this new internal lexicon.
Then there was the vocabulary shift. Words like “rubbish” and “brilliant” began peppering my thoughts. I started saying “cheerio” instead of “goodbye,” much to the amusement of my friends.
“Did you study abroad in England and forget to tell us?” my friend Sarah asked, stifling a laugh.
“I wish!” I thought, before catching myself. “I mean, no, this is all very new and strange.”
Embracing My Inner Brit (and the Perks That Came With It)
Over time, I’ve grown accustomed to my new internal flatmate. It’s like having a permanent, slightly posh commentator narrating my life. And I must admit, there are perks.
- Confidence Boost: There’s something about that clipped British accent that just screams sophistication. My inner critic, once a nagging shrew, now sounds like a witty observer, offering constructive criticism with a side of dry humor.
- Entertainment Factor: Mundane tasks are instantly more amusing. Folding laundry becomes a regal affair. Walking the dog is a countryside stroll. You get the picture.
- Vocabulary Expansion: Okay, maybe I haven’t quite reached Shakespearean levels, but my vocabulary has definitely expanded beyond “like” and “totally.” (Although, I do miss those words sometimes. They were just so…easy.)
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