With a name as complicated as mine, I have to have nicknames. My family and close relations call me L. But my favorite name is Jucy, which is how I'm known to my friends. However, when I came to the US, introducing myself as Jucy elicited some snickers. So rather than be called by my full name, which is somewhat of a tongue twister, I settled on being called L, which sounds really weird coming from random people who are not related to me. It's a name reserved for a few which I'm now forced to share with the rest of the world. It took a lot of getting used to but I've adjusted somehow, including a few changes to my personality. Believe it or not, I felt that as Jucy I was more outgoing, more adventurous and never shy. L on the other hand is more reserved, cautious, and a bit boring. Hahaha!
The fact that I still have people calling me Jucy, mostly by my friends in and from Cebu, I'm still anchored somewhat to my favorite identity. I know this sounds weird but I've always felt a certain disconnect to my family pet name because it was something that was chosen for me. Jucy, on the other hand, was my choice, even my friends were the one who gave me that nickname.
Studies have shown that names play an important role in shaping one's identity. No wonder people are often compelled to change their names. A Peter who's really a John should be called a John, right? Growing up, I've always hated my name. I couldn't fathom why my parents would give me something so complicated. But once I learned that no one in the world has the same name, I started loving it. I have a thing for uniqueness, for anything special.
My colleagues, once they learned my full name, think it's beautiful. One insists on calling me by my full name and I love how she says it the way it should be said. Many people couldn't say it right and I don't blame them. I used to cringe when people mispronounced it. But with age comes maturity and I've learned not to be anal about such trivialities.
So now I'm loving my name. Now all I need to do is come to terms with the fact that Jucy and L are really the same person. Hehehe.
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