My Chinese Name

A month or so before we arrived in Hong Kong, we exchanged some e-mails with our friend who lived here about choosing Chinese names for us. Our friend worked with the language teacher at his office and they came up with some. Jacob tweaked them a bit and then that was that. We were told we'd need them for our ID cards. Because I have just been surviving, I haven't learned my name and there has never been a reason for it to be used. A few weeks ago I went to the doctor for the first time. Jacob had been to the hospital near us before and so I just went there. There are doctors that have their offices there and you just go see them like you would a doctor in the States. Jacob had been to this hospital before we moved here so he got a hospital card and number with his passport. Since we are residents, I gave them my ID card for my information. They printed out my hospital card and had me check my name and I stuck in my purse and didn't look at it again. They handed me my appointment card that they checked when they did my vitals or went in to see the doctor to make sure the files matched my name. Again I just checked my name and didn't pay any other attention to it. They tell you which office number your doctor is and you go sit in front of his door until his nurse calls you. I had an appointment but because I hadn't been there before they just assigned me a doctor and I didn't know who it was so I wasn't even sure they found my appointment -- I assumed they did. However, after waiting over an hour I started thinking they didn't. Finally the nurse came to me and checked my appointment card and said I was next. After my appointment I was told to wait outside and the nurse would get my paperwork (bill and those type of things). She calls a name and calls a name and then looks at me and then calls a name. Finally I realize she is saying my middle name (Renee) and is pronouncing it (Ree Knee (which is how they pronounce it every where in Asia I just was listening for Sara). She then asks me about my Chinese name. "Is there a Chinese name on your ID card?" she asked. At first I said no and then I remembered, "Oh yes there is." "Do you know it?" "Well, no." "Is your husband Chinese?" "No." "Then why do you have a Chinese name?" At this point everything is starting to hit me and it was just too hard to explain to her. I told her I just did. However, I was still confused why we were discussing this until I realized they must have put my Chinese name and my English name on my card! I looked at it and sure enough there were my two names!


My follow up appointment the next week went much better. I knew I was third to get my vitals checked and when she started calling a name I didn't know I just kept looking at her until she came to look at my card. Then I was the only one waiting for the doctor so there was no confusion there! Guess I need to learn my Chinese name and get use to being called Ree Knee!