English Thread

[Elmo]

@ratlady: Wasn´t it you recommending me to take this trip a few pages before? I know I talked about that vacation here. I think I even posted a link to a topic.

Well, anyways..the plan is to stay a few days in the Big Apple, fly down to Wilmington and take the rental down towards Miami. It´s cheaper than picking it up in New York.
Adding the flights, the rental car, gas, one way rental, hotel & motel stays and about 300€ for food and beverage, entrance fees and souvenirs, I get to a price of 3000-3200€, just for 17 days! And I guess that won´t be enough, considering you have to pay parking charges and most likely even more for food.
With 2 persons, I get to a total of just 2100-2400€. That´s a hell of a difference!

I´d love to save money in any way, but I don´t know how.
Amtrak or Greyhound would be a cheap alternative, but you are quite limited. With a rental you can go anywhere, a major advantage particularly in small towns, which I´m planning on visiting.

[ratlady]

@ratlady: Wasn´t it you recommending me to take this trip a few pages before?

yes, you're exactly right... that's why I said I really shouldn't be "talking you into it" too much...    It's your decision and you'll have to live with it, after all.

You're right, taking Greyhound/Amtrak or similar (there are other "coaches" that operate in certain areas, for example) cuts back on your "freedom"; but you could take Greyhound or else when "available", and then just rent a car while spending a few days at a certain "spot"... disadvantage, you can't just "pull over" whenever you like, but on the other hand, staying a little longer in one place may give you the opportunity to get to know it a little better/more "intensive", and maybe even meet some people you can "hook up" with for a while, who knows (especially when staying in hostels/backpacker style accommodation for a few days that's really not that unlikely - but I think I mentioned something like that before, too   ). That's moreless the way I did it several years ago, never regretted it... although I admit back then it was less about the "cost" (even though I was a little shocked at the "chunk" the car rental took out of my budget even back then...) but more about the "horrifying idea" of having to drive hundreds of miles across unknown terrain all by myself...    

By the way, talking about cost - if you put this trip up until some time in the future when you can "share" some of the cost, there's no guarantee it's going to be any cheaper - looking at rising gas prices etc... Also, the dollar/Euro exchange rate may be a factor (but I admit I have no idea about the current trend or predictions there).

I myself hate to spend that kind of money over a short period of time, but I'm planning on going to Germany in late May for our "Abitreffen" (first in 16 years...!) which will likely cost me well over $1000 for just 6 days or so... And even though I haven't booked anything yet, it's basically a question of time rather than money (even though, if I REALLY thought about it, I'd probably realize it's not quite in our budget...   ) - I just think certain things are worth more than their "monetary value". Do it while you can, you never know if you get a second chance... but again, that's just me   You may as well end up just "throwing a lot of money away for nothing" and regret it forever after... you just never know.

Good luck with your decision!!

[Anonymous]

@ratlady: Wasn´t it you recommending me to take this trip a few pages before?

yes, you're exactly right... that's why I said I really shouldn't be "talking you into it" too much...    It's your decision and you'll have to live with it, after all.

You're right, taking Greyhound/Amtrak or similar (there are other "coaches" that operate in certain areas, for example) cuts back on your "freedom"; but you could take Greyhound or else when "available", and then just rent a car while spending a few days at a certain "spot"... disadvantage, you can't just "pull over along the way" whenever you like, but on the other hand, staying a little longer in one place may give you the opportunity to get to know it a little better/more "intensive", and maybe even meet some people you can "hook up" with for a while, who knows (especially when staying in hostels/backpacker style accommodation for a few days that's really not that unlikely - but I think I mentioned something like that before, too   ). And, you may still get to explore the further surroundings, including smaller towns, from your "home base" at that time... might also save you one-way fees on the rental car. That's moreless the way I did it several years ago, never regretted it... although I admit back then it was less about the "cost" (even though I was a little shocked at the "chunk" the car rental took out of my budget even back then...) but more about the "horrifying idea" of having to drive hundreds of miles across unknown terrain all by myself...    

By the way, talking about cost - if you put this trip up until some time in the future when you can "share" some of the cost, there's no guarantee it's going to be any cheaper - looking at rising gas prices etc... Also, the dollar/Euro exchange rate may be a factor (but I admit I have no idea about the current trend or predictions there).

I myself hate to spend that kind of money over a short period of time, but I'm planning on going to Germany in late May for our "Abitreffen" (first in 16 years...!) which will likely cost me well over $1000 for just 6 days or so... And even though I haven't booked anything yet, it's basically a question of time rather than money (even though, if I REALLY thought about it, I'd probably realize it's not quite in our budget...   ) - I just think certain things are worth more than their "monetary value". Do it while you can, you never know if you get a second chance... but again, that's just me   You may as well end up just "throwing a lot of money away for nothing" and regret it forever after... you just never know.

Good luck with your decision!!

[ratlady]

...oops, sorry...     That "guest" was me, trying to edit my previous post...   sh** happens when you're in a hurry 'cause hubby's already called out with "hrrr-hrrrmmmm"... after announcing that dinner was ready...

Anyway, that's what I had wanted to add:

disadvantage, you can't just "pull over along the way" whenever you like, but on the other hand, staying a little longer in one place may give you the opportunity to get to know it a little better/more "intensive", and maybe even meet some people you can "hook up" with for a while, who knows (especially when staying in hostels/backpacker style accommodation for a few days that's really not that unlikely - but I think I mentioned something like that before, too  ). And, you may still get to explore the further surroundings, including smaller towns, from your "home base" at that time... might also save you one-way fees on the rental car.

...never mind... I guess for now, I better go hide myself, my "embarrassment", AND my bad manners...  

[Elmo]

You´re definitely right in most points.
I do have the money to realize my dream, hell, I could even make it longer. But with me, it´s the same as you, I hate seeing such a great amount of money just evaporating. Plus, my financial situation is not yet secured, so I can´t really tell you the next time money is going to be transferred to my bank account and not FROM it.

I shouldn´t be postponing this trip..that´s what I basically keep doing. I´ve always wanted to visit America, but this dream has gotten really concrete (don´t know how to put it better) about 1,5 years ago. So I planned on going in 2005, it didn´t work out as you can imagine. Maybe I can go next year, but that´s not the point. What if I won´t do it next year? And the year after that?
As you can see, I´m a very reflective person.  

The Greyhound/Amtrak way of traveling I still kinda like. It has something adventurous and independent to it. Some American musicians used to do this..traveling around the country all by themselves..just with their clothes and their guitar.   Isn´t that an American dream?
I´d love to do this, but I think it´s hardly realizable. Just imagine the train station is a few miles away from your motel or the beach or something else you want to visit. You´d need a taxi which would amortize your savings..
I had another idea to cover the distance. Get my bicylce into the airplane and just ride 1200km down to Miami..piece of cake.  

[missy]

Hey everybody!
Interesting discussion about the money that has to be spend going on a nice vacation.
As longer I 'dg' myself through the postings here,as more fascinated I get ,with what people do to have a USA dream-vacation once or twice a year.What also amazes me is that the majority of the vacationing crowd ,once back in Germany, save every cent to do it all over again.
Wow!
I couldn' do it....I guess I am too cheap.
I have lived in the US now for over seven years....and I have not seen half of the places in the US that most people in this forum have seen.(I am assuming that most american people don't get around like that as well.)
Well ,first...as you all know....we don't get a lot of time off.
10-14 days a year would be average.   I am now fortunate enough to have 30 days of paid leave,but going to see the Grand Canyon for example has never really crossed my mind.
I usually end up spending my leave in the same old spot in Texas where I have friends.
well...you know the old sayin'...to each his own....I guess I am just not a big traveller.
In fact I must admit that I have tried to avoid tourists,especially when I lived in DC,just too many of them over there.
 

Anyways....I will try to go over to Germany this year...I have been saying this each year for the past 4 years ....let's see if it will work out this time.
I already know that after 2-3 weeks in Germany I will be very eager to return back to the states....I doubt that I can really adjust to the 'german way of living' anymore.


Regards,

Missy

[Crimson Tide]

Hi, missy! (and special greetings to Elmo, please read this, too!)

We've spent so much money for vacation the last three years (since we arrived in the USA), like we did never before in our entire live!    And we don't regret one cent.
We saw already so many places in 30 months, we visited 26 states right now, and in four weeks we go to California and Nevada (16 days), then, three weeks later, we gonna go to Naples, Everglades, Key West, Miami Beach,(12 Days), four weeks later we have to fill our container   .We have to move, back to Germany!    

And....we didn't save yet one Dollar for the move!  
We needed the money for vacations!  

We didn't think about it, we just did it, and nobody can take our memories away from wonderful trips to New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Toronto, Charleston, Savannah, Seattle, Oklahoma City, Hot Springs, Little Rock, Atlanta, Santa Fe, the four corner region, vincinities of Kentucky, the Carolinas,Tennessee, Mississippi, Michigan, etc...,and Florida, of course (about 8 times), every longer weekend we used for short trips, and now we are broken, nearly bankrupt   , we don't care!  
Instead of having saved thousands of dollars, we have collected thousands of memories and thousands of pictures from our wonderful time in the USA, which was, I think, one of the best time and experience in our life.
Now a new chapter begins! Me and my family are very excited about the "new "beginning in our "old" home. It is pretty hard to leave!    

Regards,
Monika

[ratlady]

@Crimson Tide -

you're really exceptionally lucky to be able to do all this (and no, I'm not the least bit envious *mostinnocentlookIcanmuster*    ) - and I'm not referring to the financial side of it; as far as that goes, I see it just the same - what good is a stack of money that's just sitting there? Nothing but a pile of paper... better use it while you can... Nevertheless, I still HATE to spend thousands of dollars in just a week or two (I used to live on about 500 DM a month!... I admit, that was quite a while ago, though    but it still "sticks" with me)... but most of the time, I do it nevertheless if I can, and try not to think too much about it...  

For me, the major problem now is time - I just can't "break away" from work and/or other obligations for more than a week or so... and I don't even care about not getting any paid vacation but it's just that apparently I care too much about my work to just go off and not give a damn about what happens to my "project" during that time...      

And, I know leaving "for good" will be hard, very hard... (I've been "heartbroken" in that regard quite a few times myself...    ) but at least, you have something to go back to other than unemployment and an uncertain future...   And, as you say, you have your memories and I'm sure also a lot of friends to correspond with and, of course, visit as much as you can! And maybe someday they will visit you, and you will not only show them around Germany, but also maybe kind of "see Germany through their eyes"... I've made that experience with my hubby; he just gets SO excited about everything that I appreciate things that I hardly ever noticed before so much more now when visiting Germany...

@missy -

same here as far as "not getting around the States too much" goes... in fact, the only "real" travel in the US that I did was in conjunction with my first time as a J1-research-scholar, which I back then thought to be a "one-time-thing" so better get the most out of it...    Well, now I've been here several years and it's still mostly a dream to go on a major trip and see and explore the rest of the country... but we're holding on to it, even though it may never happen  

I´d love to do this, but I think it´s hardly realizable. Just imagine the train station is a few miles away from your motel or the beach or something else you want to visit. You´d need a taxi which would amortize your savings..
I had another idea to cover the distance. Get my bicylce into the airplane and just ride 1200km down to Miami..piece of cake.  

In that case (cycling), you should get the media involved - I bet there'd be at least some TV or radio stations/magazines/newspapers that could be "talked into" sponsoring the trip in exchange for the story...  

But seriously, yes, I know from my own experience that at least Greyhound stations are oftentimes somewhere way out of the way of anything...and also not really in the "best" part of town... but not necessarily always so; and I don't know about Amtrak at all. What you could do, figure out your "route", then compare it to Greyhound/Amtrak schedule and route map, check where exactly the stations at your "selected stops" are located (mapquest), see where (youth) hostels are available and located, and go from there... If a "preferred stop" also has a (youth) hostel somewhere near, you could contact them ahead of time and check if they have any "pick-up" service available (some do, some don't). Then, stay for a few nights and either "hook up" with fellow travellers, or use public transport if available, or rent a car on your own to explore the "further surroundings"... it may be a little more miles on your total travel, but saves you the constant "packing-and-unpacking" and worrying about the next place to stay at... and still at least somewhat cheaper than doing it all by one-way rental.

Again, you will miss a lot (in terms of just "seeing things") that way, but you will also "gain" in a way most other visitors won't...

And yes, I can see that you're really pondering about this quite a bit - "what if" is one of my "favorite questions/arguments", too...    "What if" you don't do it this time, or next time... what if you end up NEVER doing it after all? That's actually meant as a serious question, not irony or anything... sometimes, with some "dreams", it's just that it's the dreaming and planning more than the actual "realization" that matters most... while unconsciously there might be concerns that if you put it into reality, you might end up disappointed (and you very well may, you never know unless you try!) Think about it... if it's really ONLY the "financial concerns" that hold you back, just forget about them - remember, "there's some things money CAN'T buy..." Do it while you can!

("What if" tomorrow you slip on a piece of banana peel and break you neck? That's one of my "most convincing" ones whenever I'm REALLY hesitant to blow all that money out the window...    )

[Crimson Tide]

Hi, Ratlady!

I was really very thankful for the opportunity to do all the trips, and I'm not sure if we can do something similar ever again like we could do the last time.

Before we came to the USA, weren't be able to do such kind of vacations, and, perhaps we can never do it again later. The more I appreciated the chance we got here! We all know that it was really an exceptionally time in our life. I'm also not sure how easy or how difficult it will be, coming back, having not so much money like the last three years, (I, for example, have given up my job, and I'm 43 years old, who wants to hire such an old woman in Germany!   I was "old fashioned", was most of the time "Mother" instead having a career!
So we really don't know what the future will bring us!

And that is the reason why I told about all the trips, because Elmo, for example, doesn't know if he should do that trip, or not. I think, he should do it right now, because you don't know what will be tomorrow! You know, what I mean?
Perhaps the economy goes down more and more, like we noticed in Germany! Nobody wants to have the "Experts" back from Tuscaloosa at Mercedes in Sindelfingen or in Bremen, so a lot of collegs really don't know, what kind of job they will get! Hallo, reality, welcome back in
Germany!    We can be very lucky that we already have our house in Germany, and that my husband just two days before got a message that they found a good job for him in Bremen in September! That is a very important message!     I'm very happy for him!
Other people had to save money all the time to build a house in Schwaben, and the ground there is very expensive!
We really don't know if it was good to do all the trips, (other people would have saved more money, but we all agreed, before we came to the USA, we wanted to make as much trips as possible, and we would do it again!)
We could do it, because our company paid for a car, the rental of the house,(although we have to pay for our house in Germany too), AND the most important thing was: We paid less tax here than in Germany!
And whatever will happen------- we regret nothing from the last three years!  

See ya, Monika

[ratlady]

@Crimson Tide

...ooooooppssss.... seems I've kinda "misunderstood" something there, or jumped to conclusions a little too fast... I was for some reason under the impression that your husband got "sent" here by his employer, and would still have the same job (safe & secure) upon returning to Germany...      All the "more good" to hear that there IS actually a job waiting for him in Germany...!!

 ...unfortunately, I do know just too well about "job opportunities" over there... I wouldn't be living in the US now if I only had been able to find a decent job in my profession back in Germany (i.e., one that didn't require a PhD and 10 years of experience while only considering applicants 30 years of age or younger). On the other hand, I've never really had any "major" problems finding a job while living there, only that those were "odd jobs" that had nothing to do with my (ah, so-called   ) "career"... and I was kinda "picky" even with those... But, on a long-term perspective, that's really more like "surviving" vs. actually "living"...

I don't have any kids (would make just an AWFUL mother...     ) but I still think that "just being a mother" might be more worthwhile/valuable/meaningful than having a great career... guess that depends on your own individual priorities as well. But, as with money, a "career" may not matter that much in the end... I admire everyone who went through pregnancy, birth, and raising the kids 'cause I know I could never do that... I've had times when I was working 100 - 120h a week on a regular base (not that I HAD to, but I WANTED to...)  but still, that seems like NOTHING compared to that...

Well, I'm getting carried away here... but I still agree with you in just about every regard! Had I been in your place, I would've done just the same!! And - quite obviously - I also think Elmo should take this trip, especially since he says he "can afford" it...

(by the way, NO ONE really ever knows what the future is going to bring... in fact, ours is more than uncertain at this time, too... so why worry about it too much? Most of the time, that don't help either...   )

[Elmo]

@ratlady & Crimson Tide: It´s very nice of you, I really appreciate your trying to convince me!
I think it´s mainly the fear of the unexpected (and to maybe end up disappointed). If I had done this before,  I probably wouldn´t have problems with that.
And I know you´re right...why waste any time? I mean, I have so much other plans to carry out..I want to see other parts of the US as well, such as the West; and there are still so many parts of the world I haven´t seen yet. I told myself I wanted to use my time and see as much as possible, expanding my horizons and exploring the world. Our time on earth is limited and (almost) everyone has the goal to be or to become happy, and this happiness is necessarily connected to one´s life dreams - and one of mine is traveling around.
And you never know what comes next. Maybe you could have an accident, a job that cuts down on your leisure time, "family duties"... Okay, I don´t have an own family and I don´t know when and if I´m ever going to have one, but there are still those other uncertain issues. But we don´t want to "paint the devil on the wall" as we would say in Germany.
I see, we´re getting philosophically here..  

And ratlady, 100-120 hours a week? One week just consists of 168 hours! Wow, that´s just astonishing! 50 hours a week was the most I´ve ever worked in my entire life and that was already too much for me. I guess I´m more the leisure-loving kind of person.    
On the other hand, I didn´t like the job and so it´s no wonder that time was only passing by so slowly.
And in terms of the economic situation here I was always thinking it´s not that bad as the media wants to make us believe it is. However, I experienced it myself, but that might be due to other reasons.
So, here´s my little story. As I told you, I didn´t like my first job and since my company didn´t renew my contract I was forced to search something else to do for a living. I went to school again for one year, did my alternative civilian service and then planned on applying to an university. Unfortunately it didn´t work out and again, I had to look for something else. After my first apprenticeship I was always saying a second apprenticeship was completely out of question, but it seemed there was no other option left for me. And so I mailed 30 applications - there are still 2 responses left, but the other 28 all rejected me.
I guess nobody wants to hire me for an appreticeship at almost 24 and with my bad resume.
And that´s why I said "my financial situation was not yet secured".

[ratlady]

Hi Elmo!

...geez, that could almost be me talking - sounds like we think very much alike!

I still remember the first time I did some travel on my own, even though that was just 3.5 weeks all around Scandinavia between Abitur and university - the thought also was, I want to SEE things and GO places while I can, and if not now, I'm not sure if I ever get another chance... but boy was I nervous and afraid!! I mean, it was a lot of fun studying travel guides (at the local library, to save money   ), maps, youth hostel locations, collect all the brochures I could get at the nearest train station that had a "travel center", compare option & prices of different train-tickets  etc...

All that was still at a time when the internet as it is now was basically "unknown", so to pre-book a hostel you had to send them those international payment coupons (or whatever they were called), and they'd either accept or tell you they were fully booked at that time. Which made it a lot easier for me, you know - well, I'll just send that off and see what happens, it's still way in the future etc... Then, when the first room-confirmations got back, it was more like - "oh-oh, now I REALLY have to do this...?!"   And of course, the closer the day of departure got, the more desperately I wanted to bail out - "I don't want to do this!! This is going to be a catastrophy! I'll be SO lost!! I won't be able to communicate!!" etc. Well, when I finally sat in the train and saw my parents disappear in the distance, I was devastated and just wanted to get out and go back... when I arrived at my first "destination" in Denmark, however, I realized it wasn't half as bad - I just had to take things in my own hands and DO IT - and it turned out not only fairly easy to do, but also felt GREAT to do it!   My greatest fears (not knowing what to do, where to go, how to communicate, getting "stuck" or lost somewhere...) diappeared just like that, and making new contacts came almost naturally...

Up to that point, I had never really been "on my own", especially in "unknown terrain" - always safe & secure among my friends (or family) I'd let them do all the talking and making contact when it came to that... and the idea of having to go to university soon, where I knew no one and didn't even know my way around was just HORRIFYING    Well, after I returned from that trip, I couldn't WAIT to start studying, meet new people, "explore" a new environment and all that. In a way, that trip was more than just a great vacation or adventure - it helped me to become more outgoing and self-secure among strangers, to be less afraid of the unknown or changes in "normal routine", to take the lead instead of hiding behind others, etc.

Needless to say, after that, it was also quite clear for me that the next chance I'd get, I'd do it again!! And I did, many times... NEVER without some anxiety, nervousness, and whatever other concerns, but that's actually - for me, at least - somehow an "important" part of it - sounds a little weird, but you may still know what I mean  

Oh, concerning the "work week" - well, that was at a time when I was still young & ambitious   ... OK, actually it was only a couple of years ago but I got married in the meantime...    But honestly, there's plenty of people over here who have a "40h"-job but work at least 60h on a regular base... with a lot of jobs (especially the "better" ones), you're actually EXPECTED to put at least 60-80h or more into it (even though that's not "on paper"). Competition rules, and good and hard work is highly acknowledged - often it also (or only    ) pays off in other than "monetary" terms... Like in my case, for example - back then, I "put in" more than twice the hours that I got paid for, but I enjoyed doing it (would sometimes look at it as "fun" rather than "work") - and at some point, I realized I had also built up a certain reputation, in my field of work as well as within the "community"... I got to know some of the "more influential" people in my field that I know would "put in for me" if I needed it... I made most of my friends through my voluntary work, too... So even though I didn't make a lot of money (and I couldn't care less about that), I "gained" something that I think is a lot more valuable  

On the other hand, of course, there's plenty of people out there that HAVE to count every penny - and oftentimes work even harder with less "return", monetary or otherwise... Working two full-time jobs is not all that uncommon over here, after all - sometimes even more than that... you do the math The difference (to Germany) of course is, at least you will almost always be able to find a job somewhere - only that you may not be able to live off of that alone...

[ratlady]

...one more thing @Elmo - didn't want to have that get "lost" in that monster-text above...  

Have you ever considered an internship in the US? It sounds like you MAY be qualified as a "young professional"... (I'm not absolutely sure there though)

[Elmo]

Like I said, the fear of the unexpected. It´s never easy to get over yourself and actually do something for the first time. And that´s not only just traveling, it´s almost everything in life. Some people don´t care about that, they just do it. I don´t know if they are happier in life without having to worry that much, but I do know that I would.

I totally agree with you...it´s more than a mere trip. It would be the first time to overcome fears, an adventure to become more self-dependent and self-secure. If you have survived in a foreign country all by yourself, you will probably survive anywhere else (wasn´t it Frank Sinatra singing something alike that?   "If I´m gonna make it there..." bla bla). And I also have to get away from my everyday life for awhile.

I haven´t come around much yet. Just around Europe and then I was once in Turkey and Morocco. So, I haven´t been more than about 3000km away from home yet. But Morocco is very exotic, though.
So, there´s still my first long-distance flight to come and guess where it´s headed.  
But I´d also like to visit Mexico, Asia, Australia, Africa...basically the entire world to sum it up.  
I wonder why I´m still worried about making myself clear in the US. I know I can speak language quite well, but still there is this uncertainty not to understand a single word and having to ask again. I don´t want to reveal myself as non-American, so I´m gonna try to imitate the American accent. We will see what happens, but I doubt I can hide my roots even if I try very hard.   Although I can sound out this terrible German accent.
But isn´t it ridiculous? I have visited countries where I can´t speak one word of their language (but I wasn´t alone) and I worry about that...

Yeah, I´ve considered living there for awhile. I wouldn´t want to move away forever, ´cause I clearly have my roots here. But for a few months..sounds interesting. Maybe it´s just what I need to do.
But you know, my fears are even greater there..
For starters, would you like to explain me what a "young professional" is? I haven´t got a clue..

PS: It seems that we´re deterring others from writing here.   Guys, you are also invited to join us.

[ratlady]

PS: It seems that we´re deterring others from writing here.   Guys, you are also invited to join us.

Well, maybe you're right... almost a week now and nobody "daring" enough to "interrupt"...       Anyway, if you want to, you can also pm/pn me (English or German, doesn't matter), especially if you have questions about a possible internship ("young professional" was just the best I could come up with from the top of my head for "Berufsanfaenger" but maybe "trainee" would be better... ) I've had several J1-visa myself and I think I still know a little bit about it...  

Back to something more "general"...

I know I can speak language quite well, but still there is this uncertainty not to understand a single word and having to ask again. I don´t want to reveal myself as non-American, so I´m gonna try to imitate the American accent. We will see what happens, but I doubt I can hide my roots even if I try very hard.  Although I can sound out this terrible German accent.

First, nothing wrong with asking if you didn't understand it the first time - I do it all the time down here, even with my own husband (but I seriously suspect he does that on purpose sometimes... not opening his mouth while speaking, which seems to be a common habit in the Deep South   )

Second, why do you want to appear like an American? It's being different that makes you "interesting"...  and as for "imitating the American accent" - forget it   . "The American Accent", I believe, only "exists" outside of the US - within the States, there's a multitude of different accents... especially on a journey from New York to Miami you'll notice. And, I also believe that there's only very few exceptionally talented people that would actually speak a second language perfectly like a native unless they've learned it from early childhood on... at least a slight accent will always remain - which may just be "slight" enough for your American friends to confirm you in your belief of being "accent-free". I remember several years ago, when I went home to Germany for the first time in a year or so... at some point we all went to a "family event", and all of a sudden someone was saying something about my "American accent" ...which I myself wasn't aware of, and none of my "closer" family had ever brought up to me either...  

In spite of that, AND almost a quarter-century of "practice" (if you count school & university), over here one of the first things I get asked when talking to "strangers" is - "what's that accent...?"  However, I really don't mind, on the contrary - have started some great conversations that way... (Even though I'm also - like you - kind of "proud" of myself that I don't have that "typical" German accent... at least I can "master" the "th" almost automatically so it's neither "s" nor "d"... but there's lots of other things, like v and w, or just where the emphasis goes on a particular word, etc.... I think we even talked about something like that at the very beginning of this thread, too   )  

So, don't try to "imitate" anything - instead, be yourself and just do it as you go along and it comes out of your mouth... you'll get plenty of compliments for your "really good English" anyway, regardless of just how "perfect" it actually is And, the rest comes automatically, i.e. your English will "sound" more like theirs over time without your even noticing...