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Still writing the last Travel Entry

Now posting on the Home Updates page 01/31/09

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China Time:

 


Travel Date: 1/17/2009
Subject: A Rose By Any Other Name...Hui Dong

What we did today:
Okay, the name thing…Lots of people have asked questions about our daughter’s name.

For starters, her Chinese name has been Fu Hui Dong (“Foo Hway Dong”). The “oo” sound like in “moon”. The “H” sound at the beginning of her name is very throaty, not breathy. More like you are getting ready to spit (like that description?). Follow that lovely sound with “way”. “Dong” is just like you would say “ding-dong”. Just don’t give it a hard sounding “g”; it just kind of hangs in the air with more of an “n” sound. In Chinese the surname or last name comes first. So Fu is actually her last name. Every child from the Fuling orphanage is given the name Fu with means happiness.

Now, the name we have chosen for her, that will appear on all legal documents is – Keziah Christine Huidong Wade. We have chosen not to take her given name away from her, but to keep it as part of her new name. We combined the two parts, which often happens when Chinese names are translated. Though Hui Dong are two separate Chinese characters, they are both part of her name.

Read the last part of the “Our Story” page for the history behind “Keziah”. All of our children have been given both a Biblical name and also a family name. We wanted to continue this with Keziah as well.

In my posts, I have been referring to her as Hui Dong, because right now that is who she is. If you ask her what her name is she will tell you “Fu Hui Dong!” She can write the characters for her name. Our guide Charlie also called her by that name in Chongqing. So much in her life changed in an instant that we have chosen not to confuse her even more by calling her a name she doesn’t even know. Our plan is to begin to slowly introduce Keziah to her by pairing it with her given name “Keziah Hui Dong”. Now that we are in Guangzhou, we may begin doing this soon.

However, we didn’t adopt a baby, a toddler, or even a preschooler. We have a very independent, opinionated, strong-willed six-year-old. (All Wade!) Ultimately, she will get to choose what she wants to be called. Some older children choose to give up their Chinese name, but others never do. I will call her what ever she wants. If it changes tomorrow….I will too.

Sorry if this has been confusing for everyone.

Oh, other big questions –

“Does she speak any English?” - On day one, yes, she could say, “bye-bye” and that’s about it.

“Do we know Chinese?” – Are you kidding? Chinese is really hard! Ummm…well, we do know just a few words. Caleb is studying Chinese in school, but has only had one semester…and he’s not here.

Communication is difficult and frustrating for all of us. She has lots to say…and I don’t understand anything. Ever had a teenager look at you like you were stupid? I’m getting it all the time from a six-year-old.

The good news is that she is incredibly smart and a little parrot. She is learning some things very fast. We brought a Dora DVD in Chinese that teaches a few English words. She is counting to 10, but only when she wants to. Christopher tried to use a kids Chinese/English picture-word book with her last night to get her to learn some more words. I think he learned more Chinese than she did English. The two of them were so funny. He kept pointing and repeating himself in English, and she kept pointing and repeating herself in Chinese. I had to mediate between the two and say both words before she’d even try to repeat some. Too funny!

When we get home, she will be immersed in a world of English. Right now, we have still been in a world of entirely Chinese. I may finally get to put my parents’ money spent on my Elementary Education degree to good use! We will just take it one day at a time like you do with a baby. Our life will become a constant running monologue, “Here is a red apple. See the red apples? Let’s buy six apples. One, two…” This won’t be much of a problem at the Wade household…nobody ever stops talking!

Gotta run! Boss-man says it’s dinnertime.

Photos... (click image to enlarge)