I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that having a Chinese name is mandatory at my university. I mean, foreigners usually automatically expect that the Chinese have an English name, so why can’t they expect the same? But still, I was registering at Fudan and drew a complete blank when a woman asked me for mine. Weeks and weeks spent preparing for the big move to Shanghai, yet I hadn’t even thought about what my new name would be. So, upon hearing the pronunciation of ‘Renée’ in English, the woman at registration gave me a more fitting name for my time among the locals.
From now on, I go by the name of ‘Ruì nà‘ ! Next step: learning how to write the characters. It might take a while before I can decipher what the woman wrote on my registration forms…
Tagged: Experience, Fudan, Mandarin
22-year old International Relations graduate who packed her bags and moved to Shanghai. Currently studying Chinese at Fudan University while continuing a love for baking in a mini-toaster oven that's sat next to a rice-cooker.
So proud of my Dutch friend
as soon as you teach me how to pronounce that I’ll start calling you by your Chinese name. Do you have Skype by any chance there?
My Skype does work
I have you on it, so give me a call when you see me online! The first think I’ll do is teach you how to pronounce it hehe. Hows all the planning for your trip going?
Heb destijds nog zo tegen je moeder gezegd: vernoem ‘t naar mij.
Haha! Ik zal vragen aan mijn teacher wat “allerliefste oom” is in t Chinees