On Names

A quick word on proper nouns. A lot of them will probably be made up. In some cases it might be a nod to privacy, in others it might be my way of telling a story rather than relating events. However, the overarching reason, and the one that will apply to all of my mis-namings is simply that it makes me smile. There you are, don’t get weirded out.

With that, I’m going to introduce you to my co-teachers. Briefly, and with the knowledge that they might one day read this.

Shamrock was named thus simply because he happened to be wearing a green shirt when I met him and looked like he would make a good, if oversized, leprechaun. Later on I found out that he actually was Irish, and felt a little guilty of racial profiling, but what the hey, it still is a funny name. He studied here two years ago, and then came back last year to teach, so this year will be his third year in China and his second year teaching. He is an affable character, and it seems that everywhere we go he is running into someone who he knows, or who at least knows him. I think that Shamrock’s day really starts the previous night in any of Beibei’s many bars, where he will then almost invariably make his plans with his friends for the next day. The amusing thing is that, since he spends most of his time on the streets, he speaks Chongqing Hua (the local dialect) very well, and though I can barely understand him, the locals can often understand him better than they can understand my putong hua (standardized Chinese). Humble pie never tasted so good.

Grins is a friend from Seattle, and she has the unfortunate distinction of being the only girl in our quartet. Kindof lame. She studied here for three months last year, and so has some rudimentary language skills and is well acquainted with where things are in the city. I tend to differ to these two, because though I have a better grasp of the language, they know the city much better than I do, and so I hang back until someone needs something translated.

Ash is perhaps the only true adventurer among us. Though being widely traveled in Europe, he has never been to Asia before, and so all things are new for him. The reason he is Ash is because he is tall and skinny like an ash tree. Oh, and he smokes. That may have something to do with it too. Anyone who is 6’4 and willing to light up when offered a cigarette is pretty much on the fast track to stardom here, so he’s set.

As for me, I think I’m calling myself Scout, not that I ever really refer to myself in the third person. But I’ll keep the name on the bench just in case.