The Chinese American without a Chinese name

I went to the customs officials to combat international airport in Beijing and delivered without thinking of the customs agent my passport. He did his thing reckless with my passport. It should be a quiet job, but he broke the silence as he looked up and asked if I still have my Chinese name in America. With a blank look on my face, I began to think to give him an answer that could be heard, but he gave me enough time to think, and he told meI was not using my Chinese name is no longer. My passport was returned to me with a smile. I wanted a safe trip and I had tied to the three long security checks for passengers booked in the United States. While in line, I thought about my long lost Chinese name and how I'm free to my Chinese names ....

Born in 1969 in communist China, my parents decided immediately to me for something that had to do with the name of Chairman Mao. Not thatthought of him as a great leader, but by fear. They took a little-known poem by Mao, devotion to Mao reminds them too much not enough to show he has permission. My name was the first sign of the three title characters of this poem. (They said you really need to qualify for the three sons of Mao's poem, but they stop at two. My sister, the second character of the title, but his character is better known.) It's clearly gone too far with theirQuest, not only most people do not associate my name correct with Chairman Mao, but many people simply do not know the character that is my name.

As a child in China, always surprises me when people pronounce my name correctly, without having first informed. I looked at all those who knew my name so sure most educated and intelligent. They would often ask, however, as I have so little character known as a name and would like to kindly repeat the origin of my name,between them, I have only one brother, and I do not know exactly, the poem itself, just the titles. I have also gone through many a long and colorful box of my name between my mother and other spectators. From time to time, my parents would explain apologetically, that my name was chosen to protect me, but I'm sure that my name does not protect me, even if I got into trouble.

I came to America just in time for the 8 out of class, and since then my name was Chinesefreely "translated" into English phonetically. Now there is nothing really sounds like my name, even though I say it. In a few occasions, I was completely blind when someone shouted at me. One day my grandmother suggested to me, because I live in America, it would be easier to have an English name. I thought it was a great idea. The first suggested name was "Jenny," and I said ok. I finally had a name, call it the simple, modest, and better everything isAttention.

When I got married because my husband is not Chinese, I realized that I lost a part of my ethnic identity, if I changed my name, but I decided to change my last name anyway. The logic was simple: I wanted to have the same last name as my future children, so that no one would mistake for her nanny. I kept my maiden name as my middle name. I like my surname at birth. Most of the time a second name is not required, on paper, does not include my name on it,The Chinese-American.

In real life I am a Chinese American - a proud, I might add. I am fluent in spoken and written Chinese. As my favorite is the rice carbohydrates, in fact, is practically the only one carb. I am also an avid drinker of green tea, and rarely miss the opportunity to order stinky tofu, when my dining partners are able to tolerate, if not share. After I had children of their own, it was more important to embrace and Chinese. I wanted to deliver the large ChineseHeritage and values ​​for my children. You learn to be respectful and obedient to their teachers at school, and that is smart and good quality is a great source of pride, and yes! Mathematics and science is more important than liberal arts.

I'm a big effort to teach my children to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese in the predominantly English-speaking family. We were lucky, the trick of hiring full-time Chinese-speaking nannies for our kids to afford 6Years. Chinese children's books I read to my children almost every night religiously. My two sons were Chinese names (those I like), where in addition to English, and use their Chinese names at home. Chinese celebrate every major holiday, and for the Chinese New Year, I also performed a kind of festival that rivals Christmas. You can get all of its Chinese silk dresses in beautiful New Year's Day, I organize nice display of goodies to enjoy on our dinner table for children, andinstead of the traditional question, my outfit with gold wrapped chocolate coins and snacks that they like. After all the treats you enjoy your holiday to appreciate. And, of course, to appreciate the red envelopes that grow more and more every year. One day, I think you might like better than Christmas presents. I just have very generously covered with red. But the most festive of our Chinese New Year Festivalis our pilgrimage, to take my parents'. When you know that Chinese New Year party big family is mixed with a lot of food, and more red envelopes to children. I tell them that they're lucky, holiday celebrations as well as most of their friends, because they are Chinese.

And I'm happy to be a Chinese-American. Because I realize the full benefit of two great cultures. Even without a Chinese name.

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