She said her name, but I could not pronounce it;
And so I went and practiced for a while;
The next time that I saw her, then, I said it.
She turned to me with something of a smile
And said, “Most English speakers cannot say that.”
“I had some help, but it just seemed polite,
Now that you’re on the team, to make you welcome,
And show respect by saying your name right.”
It’s hard when you’re away from home the first time,
And harder in a country far away;
A name is like a passport or a treasure,
A bit of home that’s with you every day.
Some people take a new name for the natives
And that’s a type of reaching out, as well:
So long as one’s identity continues
For all have different tales that one might tell
Or might not e’er be told, there is no knowing.
But loneliness and pain, hit all the same;
It’s hard when you’re away from home the first time,
At least we all can bring along
Our name
