Oh, Na Na What's My Name?
Well this has never happened before.
It has never been this difficult for people to understand or pronounce my name.
Until now.
Each and every time I have introduced myself this month, my name takes people by surprise. Their faces twist and melt in confusion as they try to figure out what they just heard.
I can see them trying to form my name in their head and after a few seconds they stop and tell me, "Your name is hard."
I tried simplifying it one day telling them they could call me Mel if that was easier for them to say. However, I was informed that, that is a boy's name.
Oh, well in that case…nevermind. I'm not a boy.
Back to square one again.
During the end of our first week here Emili and I had taken our blankets and walked over to the girls dorm to journal out on the yard and hang out with the girls. After a few minutes some of the younger girls joined us and began writing as well. At one point I looked over at Katherine's paper which had several names written on it and I began asking her who each person was. When I asked who Melena was, she looked up, giggled and then pointed at me.
Close enough.
I'll take it.
Melena.
My same, same but different name.
My Kenyan name.
