Article written by Yevgeniya Kim in collaboration with the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Montréal Centre-Ville
This piece was submitted to the Citizen Journal project of the Peter-McGill Community Council. Please note that the opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of our organization. This project aims to create space for the voices of residents, students and friends of the neighbourhood through articles, photos, videos, and podcasts in any language. Are you interested in contributing? Contact us at benevolat@petermcgill.org !
I’ve lived in Canada for almost 3 years, and the most frequently asked questions I get from people I meet for the first time are:
What’s your name?
Where are you from?
Why did you come to Canada?
Three simple, basic questions, right? People normally answer them in a blink of an eye. It’s weird, but since I came to Canada I’ve never had an easy straightforward answer to any of them. Every time these questions spark a wave in my heart. Not particularly a pleasant one. It is similar to a minuscule panic attack. It’s complicated. There are reasons.
Part 1. Name
In Kazakhstan (that’s where I come from), the answer to the first question is “Jenya”. That’s it: everyone gets it; everyone knows that my full first name is Yevgeniya. Everyone knows how to spell it and understands that I am an ethnic Korean, because most of the Koreans living in Kazakhstan have Russian names. They needed to blend in, you see.
During the first few months after I moved to Canada, I was preparing my CV to apply for a job. And the person who helped me with it, a very nice and benevolent guy, advised me – almost whispering – that I should probably either change my first name or use my last name as my first. Because with such a name, the chances that I would get called were almost zero. Your name is the first thing a recruitor sees on your CV, and strange, unpronounceable, jawbreaking names usually don’t make it to the shortlist. I needed to come up with a convenient and memorable new name. I needed to blend in, you know.
That’s how I became Jenny. “What’s your name? – I’m Jenny.” Short and sweet. Problem solved!
I like Jenny. It’s a cute, playful and warm-sounding name. After all, a few of my favourite celebrities are Jennies: Garner, Lawrence, Aniston, J Lo. But here I am, three-years-of-being-Jenny later, I’ve realized that even though I may have left my home country, I just can’t abandon my name. Because it’s important and dear to me. It’s a part of my identity, of who I am.
The only problem now is that different people whom I have met at different times for the last three years were introduced to different spellings of my name. And I have no clue what spelling to use with each of them now. Zhenya… Genia? Or maybe Genya?
Anyway, I’m Jenya. Again. So very pleased to meet you!
To be continued…
About the author :
Yevgeniya Kim
The author, Yevgeniya Kim, has never considered herself a writer. She still thinks it is a huge overstatement. However, writing small posts in her blog, describing the personal reflection about her journey of immigration, has become a newly discovered passion. What’s more, it has become a coping mechanism. Her narrative is usually replete with a blend of humour, warmth, and introspection.
This particular piece was born spontaneously during a workshop on creative writing. It describes the author’s relationship with her own name since the time she arrived in Canada as an immigrant. It stands as a testament to the author’s adeptness in intertwining personal experience with universal themes of identity, belonging, and the delicate balance between assimilation and remaining true to oneself.
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