My host family usually calls me Kiana but in introductions to others I am usually presented as "La teacher." La Teacher is the preferred name by my director and other staff at my school. "La Teacher is here," "La teacher, cómo estás"or "La teacher hasn't eaten yet," are things I hear on a daily basis. My students are a little less formal and drop the La so all I hear is "Teacher, teacher, teacher." Whoever taught them that it was a good idea to have students shout out when they are finished was crazy. One day I finally had enough and just to show them how annoying it was I mocked them and asked if it was good, and once they agreed it wasn't, I taught them to raise their hands quietly when they are ready. Hands frantically waving at me are a lot more tolerable; I have learned to pick my battles.
My kindergarteners are the sweetest, well, except for the one time I made the mistake of trying to do a running activity with the 10 four and five year olds I was never so scared in my life and vowed from that point on that they would only sing songs in my class. The Costa Rican teachers are all called niña, which I don't really understand since they are all women, not girls, but my kinder and a few of my first graders have started calling me niña too.
Two days a week at soccer practice I go by Kiara. For some reason my soccer coach can't seam to get my name right and constantly calls me Kiara. His girlfriend constantly tries to remind him of my name, but it just won't stick. What is it about coaches not being able to get my name right, I went an entire year with my high school volleyball coach calling me Kean (pronounced Key-ann).
The best name by far was given to me unintentionally by my host cousin. We haven't had very many interactions and has really only heard stories about me and thought that I was being referred to as Tia Ana. I guess since his family is so big he believed that I was his long lost aunt. He never said it to me directly and unfortunately they have already corrected him, but it is still funny.
After feeling sick on and off for about four weeks, I finally went yesterday to the doctor. In general most Costa Ricans have two first names and two last names. They usually go by the second first name and first last name. So after looking at my passport and seeing Kiana Michele on my passport you can guess what I was called throughout the consultation. After Dr Francis told me I am allergic to San Ramon's climate (yup, allergies strike again) and asked how long I will be here, we began to converse. All I heard was Michelle this and Michelle that. (They changed the spelling because I guess they thought I spelled it wrong on my passport. I just didn't have the heart to correct him after he was so kind and told me I remind him of his daughter and even invited me to visit with him and his family one weekend.
Well the name on my birth certificate may say Kiana, but it doesn't matter. Everyone has a different name for me and I have learned to just answer to whatever name is given to me in that moment. I am sure that at some point it is going to be weird to hear people actually calling me Kiana, but the truth is right now I kind of miss it.
