My latest identity crisis
Many of my loyal readers back home (all 4 of them) have known me for a long time by a name other than my given Christian name. This duality often caused confusion, particularly when I decided I wanted to be called by my real name "Christopher". I had accepted my nickname "Chuck" or "Chuckie" for a long time due to the fact that "Chris" is so common. After all, at one point I had a roommate and brother-in-law who shared the same name. People with the name "Chris" usually end up with either a nickname (such as "O" or "Chuck"), or get called by their last name. My brother-in-law was called by his first and last name blended together as one: "Chrisstevens".
About a year or so ago, I decided to end this insanity and embraced my full name "Christopher". Many of those close to me had a hard time with the change and called me "Chu-Christopher". As if my identity weren't confusing enough to me and those around me, I've now adopted a new name.
The name was given to me by my 8:00 junior high kids (picture to be posted Wednesday). The girls in the class have been teaching me the Korean alphabet (and doing a good job at that) and decided they wanted to give me a Korean name. We spent last week in careful deliberation, trying to decide the name that suited me best. I should add that the boys in the class were no help whatsoever. Every time they offered a name, they would start snickering, which gave me the sinking feeling they were naming me after some clown. The girls, however, picked a winner, and I embraced it.
My name is Kang Ha-Nul. 강 하 늘
The name is pronounced kahng hah nuhl, and it means "Strong Sky". Tough and pretty, I felt this suited me to a T. Kang is my last name, which comes first in Korea. My short name is Ha-Nul, or Sky. I don't wish to be called "Sky". However, I will accept any attempt to acknowledge me by the Korean translation "Ha-Nul". I can write this name in Hangul and have convinced my soccer volleyball buddies to call me by my Korean name. (Oh yeah, I started playing soccer volleyball last week.) I'll still be "Chris" or "Christopher" to some people, and to others still I'll be "Chuck" or "Chuckie". Yet to a new generation of friends I will be known as "Kang Ha-Nul", and I'm so confused at this point that I'm going to lay down now. I can't say I'll start going by my given middle name any time soon.
About a year or so ago, I decided to end this insanity and embraced my full name "Christopher". Many of those close to me had a hard time with the change and called me "Chu-Christopher". As if my identity weren't confusing enough to me and those around me, I've now adopted a new name.
The name was given to me by my 8:00 junior high kids (picture to be posted Wednesday). The girls in the class have been teaching me the Korean alphabet (and doing a good job at that) and decided they wanted to give me a Korean name. We spent last week in careful deliberation, trying to decide the name that suited me best. I should add that the boys in the class were no help whatsoever. Every time they offered a name, they would start snickering, which gave me the sinking feeling they were naming me after some clown. The girls, however, picked a winner, and I embraced it.
My name is Kang Ha-Nul. 강 하 늘
The name is pronounced kahng hah nuhl, and it means "Strong Sky". Tough and pretty, I felt this suited me to a T. Kang is my last name, which comes first in Korea. My short name is Ha-Nul, or Sky. I don't wish to be called "Sky". However, I will accept any attempt to acknowledge me by the Korean translation "Ha-Nul". I can write this name in Hangul and have convinced my soccer volleyball buddies to call me by my Korean name. (Oh yeah, I started playing soccer volleyball last week.) I'll still be "Chris" or "Christopher" to some people, and to others still I'll be "Chuck" or "Chuckie". Yet to a new generation of friends I will be known as "Kang Ha-Nul", and I'm so confused at this point that I'm going to lay down now. I can't say I'll start going by my given middle name any time soon.
posted by Christopher at 5:31 AM
3 Comments:
Don't spam my blog, loser.
Chris, I still read your blog. So there may be five of us now. I had eye surgery times two over the last few months though, and it isn't always easy. At first I thought you had changed your name to Hang A Nail. Then I found my glasses and read it again. I think I have it now, and I'll try to remember.
Continued good luck and happy travels.
Ron
Nice idea with this site its better than most of the rubbish I come across.
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