Aehrei

Last Sunday, I was told that would be given a Thai name. Pa picked one that stood for “Our kid.” I tried to say it, but the word was impossible for me to pronounce. It sounded like Ngn. Basically, in order to say it you had to have the back of your tongue go through your nostrils…or something. It was weird because I swear I was saying it correctly, but they just laughed and laughed anytime I tried to pronounce it. It’s interesting how my brain can’t pick up on the subtle sound differences in the Thai language.

Anyways, they finally decided to give me a new name. Pa said, “Your name—Aeh-rie.” It sounds like “Eh-ree” where the accent is on the “Eh” and you roll the “r.” I thought it sounded beautiful. My host mom said, “Wow! A very good name. The meaning is tofu.” Tofu? They gave me a name that meant tofu? I wasn’t as excited about it anymore, but then I realized that she was saying “thoughtful,” not tofu. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who can’t hear subtle sound difference in a foreign language. I liked Pa’s explanation of my name the best, “A person who is kind…Love everyone.”