The “F” word & Waterloo

The "F" Word


"I have found that Americans are now far more willing to learn new names,  just as they're far more willing to try new ethnic foods."
I can relate to this because my last name, Vezina, is hard to say, but people are willing to learn it, I hope. I've heard many different, and certainly interesting variations of my name just like Firoozeh and Sundara have.
"I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn't draw so much attention."
I've always thought my name was unique, I mean, have you met another Kaylie Vezina  around? I know I haven't.  The point is, that I've always wanted a name that was easier to say, I've heard Kylie and Kayla way to many times, I think it's just the way it's spelled. A lot of people have the same name as me, first name at least, so it's become easier for people to say, but the spelling just confuses people.  My last name is a different story, I've heard sooooo many different variations on my name, one was even a bit inappropriate... There's always this one substitute teacher who can never say my name correctly, so when she gets to my name I automatically correct her, which is kind of rude, but in my opinion it's better than being embarrassed.


Waterloo


"In Iran, people learned to swim on their own, if they learned at all." Page 68


This reminds me of when I was little, taking swim lessons. I hated them, I hated water, I refused to go under. I dreaded swim class, I hated the feeling of water in my nose, and I still do. Swimming lessons do come in handy, if you're out in the water and something bad happens, but when you're five or six years old, being dunked under water is not your cup of tea. Or at least it wasn't mine...


"I sank."


This quote is awfully short, but it relates to my life. Not knowing how to swim (very well at least) is okay most of the time, like I said before, but it does come in handy when needed. When I was younger I went to my friend's pool, I was floating on a tube in the middle of the pool, which was the deep end. I must have been about 7 or 8. My friends decided it would be funny to tip over the tube. It wasn't funny. I sank. My friend's mom had to dive in and pull me out, needless to say, I was not happy, and I've decided that swimming just 'isn't my thing.'