what's in a name.

Most of our Chinese friends at work introduce themselves with their Chinese name... and then by their English name, which doesn't necessarily have anything to do with their Chinese name. They say they do it because it is easier for us to remember and pronounce. As someone who's first name is often mispronounced (btw, Mom, the Chinese people understand your logic... they all say it perfectly the first time), I would never say to someone, "Hello, my name is Alysha (uh-lee-sha), but you can call me Tina if that is easier." For this reason, I try my very best to pronounce our friends' Chinese names and use those names (their real names) rather than take the easy out with the English version.

As it turns out, most of the students knew my name from reading the list before I even arrived(and they have not been shy in telling me this) because they "thought it was so beautiful!" and "sounded Russian!," (an interesting observation since I am fifty percent Russian---though my name is not traditional and I don't speak a word of Russian). And I did meet a girl named Di Yisha... the closest I've found to Alysha.

And adding to that, I thought it only fair that I ask for a Chinese name, even though they can all pronounce mine fine. I was given the name "Sha Li" because it sounds similar to my English name and it means beautiful jasmine (like the flower). However, if you say it with the wrong tone, it means stupid. Now I am trying to master writing the characters for it.

Speaking of writing characters, watching someone write Chinese characters is fascinating and I am convinced it requires at least thirty percent more brain power than writing English or another language based off the Greek alphabet. It has to be extremely neat, or you risk your characters meaning the wrong thing... and each character has to be written from up to down and left to right. No exceptions. Another thing there are no exceptions on... everyone is right-handed. Perhaps by now, in a culture that has trained all people to use their right hand as their dominant hand, all people have evolved and are born right-handed. I'd like to see a Punnet Square for that one.

The reason these conversations all began was because we had to hand in a written response at work. I, as usual, employed my "All Caps, All the Time," writing style, lining it up perfectly on a blank page of typing paper by using a lined sheet underneath. It's just something I enjoy, writing neatly, that is. Well when all pages were turned in, I noticed a group forming around a page they were holding up and passing around... I could tell right away that it was mine. I don't know if the Chinese students were just fascinated by my English writing, or by my distinct font... either way, they ate it up.