I think it's disrespectful to your home area to purposely lose your natural accent and try to adopt an artificial one just because you have moved around the country or indeed the world.

I remember in 1964 visiting a client in Sunniside whose sister in law had just returned from the States on holiday after moving there to marry an American fellow 9 months earlier and would you believe she had a stronger accent than her husband who had lived there for 30 years.

Myself, Iv'e been away from the North East for 56 years now and when I'm introduced to some one down here I'm proud that they always pick up on my accent.