Kind of going along with my international theme from the last couple of weeks, I thought I might share more about myself and my name and heritage. As you've probably already noticed, my name is not a very common one that a typical American would see, and it's not pronounced like one, either. In Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare even wrote "What's in a name?/That which we call a rose/By any other name/would smell as sweet". Everyone's name tells a story, but unique ones like mine tell an even greater story.
Back in the 1980's my parents decided to immigrate to the US from Poland because the United States had a better economy. Over the years they lived in a few different states before finally settling in West Michigan and having my sister and me. When they were expecting me, as they were trying to decide on a name, they wanted one that was unique and one that not many American children had. Finally they settled on Monika (pronouced Moe-NEE-kuh or like Monique, but not a harsh ending and with an A at the end). As a child that learned a foreign language before learning English, I was called by my Polish name at home.
Even when I started preschool, I guess the idea of going by Monica never really occurred to me. This is especially evident after going through my schoolwork from that time. Even then I spelled my name how I do now. I got so used to being called Monika instead of Monica, that I never changed it to the "American" version.
Growing up, it was annoying having to correct people so often when they first read it off as Monica, but now that I've gotten a little older, and it happens so often, I'm used to it and don't really mind correcting people when I first meet them. Before I got used to it, I hated having to correct people, and even considered changing it to a name that was common and easier to pronounce. Now I'm really glad I didn't because I love my name and the uniqueness of it. I love how it's different from most other American names and that the only people who pronounce it the same way I do are also Polish.
I've had many teacher's who I've had to correct a few times before they're finally able to pronounce my name correctly, but this is one of my favorites. As a high school freshman, we were required to take Biology, and my school just so happened to be on trimesters. So I'm in the section first trimester and everything's going fine, but I don't happen to have the second part until the third trimester, which was a break of Thanksgiving Break to the beginning of March. During this time, my teacher happens to forget how to pronounce my name, so I have to correct her again, which isn't a problem, but it took her a whole week for her to remember how to pronounce it. Fortunately, sophomore year she became our class Student Government Adviser, so she was able to finally remember.
I actually know a few other girls with my same name, of course, though, their parents are also from Poland. At least one that I know of, when she talks in English or to others who don't have any Polish heritage, she goes by Monica.
I have grown to love my name over the years, and now I wouldn't change it for anything because it tells my unique story!
