What’s your name?

I'm used to getting in trouble because of my last name, but the first name has never been a problem. Okay, I must admit, it happened once when someone insisted on calling me Iulia, mentioning that it's much easier than Emilia.

But it seems to get complicated with my first name, too. I was in a taxi and the driver asked me out of the blue.

‘But is your name really Emilia?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Is your name really Emilia?’

‘Yes, that's my first name. Yes.’

‘Oh, my name is Emanuel and I thought that maybe you didn't want to write your name as Emanuela and put Emilia, because it's easier.’

‘.... (or as a friend of mine would say, you can hear the crickets chirping!)’