Friday, October 2, 2009

the day i changed my name.

hai! my name is zhi-ying.

but on all my report cards, passport & birth certificate my given name is tze ying. so many people have butchered my name since young. i've since responded to "Tzzzzzzzzng", "zeeeeying", "*tsk*-ying" (the sound you make when picking your teeth) and sometimes even "tse". i've also had countless arguements with passport control/immigration lawyers/employers if tzeying is my given or middle name. pain in the butt! you'd think i know, right? i was afterall the one born with that name. and i actually know the folks that got really creative and come up with this phonetically impossible name!!

i stopped using that name ages ago for the fear of having to explain endlessly why its spelt that way, but read differently. so after we got legally married, i decided i wanted to make things right once and for all. turns out if you'd like to assume your married name as your last name, you need a deed poll, new i/c picture and $70. thats all it says online.

but cos we live in cambodia and the only picture studios we've seen so far involved you getting into a traditional costume set against cheesy angkor wat backdrop, we figured we're better off taking our own pictures ourselves at home! im SUPER good at hamming up to the camera and posing but taking a passport picture is one of the most difficult things ever! you gotta smile but not too widely. making your straight-on mugshot look hot is impossible!! i've had so many mishaps in the past that i really want to get this right! here are some of my past attempts!! and those are ALL taken after i discovered make up and contact lenses so you can only imagine. 


eventually picked the on the left for obvious reasons.
i wish my photoshop skills are adequate to make myself skinnier..
oh well..


the photographer's assistant with her make-shift reflector board!

so the day we got back to singapore, i rushed into the office to get my deed poll signed & stamped, printed my i/c picture, got a ticket and queued for a long while for my turn at the counter. all very chopchop and efficient. the lady that helped me was very no nonsense too. "i/c and deed poll, please." i handed all relevant documents over. she looked satisfied. i offered originals and copies of my birth cert, old ic, passport, marriage cert (im excessive like that..) she rejected and told me i could pick up my new ic in 40 mins. c'est tout! then i was at a loss. "don't you need a few days?" "you mean its done, just like that?" "im no longer tze-ying?" it felt weird and too fast and all did for the next few mins was sit there in front of rows and rows of impatient strangers, holding my old i/c, weeping my eyes out. i remember her handing me little tissues (for wiping ink off your thumb) to mop my nose. most people are there cos they misplaced their i/c so they prolly through i was a loonybin.

it was really a little sad actually. but totally needed to be done. when i got my spanking new i/c, it was all fine and good again. i'd totally scan my new i/c to show off but not sure about identity theft and all those niggity stuff. the picture above looks quite normal printed but when they made it black and white, i look completely washed out and have cheekbones! woohoo! i likey!! 

but most of all, it reads zhiying cheng allender now. first, middle and last name. so i got to keep my maiden name but have my married name as my last name. it looks a little weird still but i guess i have my whole life to get used to it. :)

11 comments:

  1. Awww lucky you; having a decent last name to make into your middle name.
    I can't do anything with my last name, will have to drop it :(

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  2. I really want to go change mine too! But isn't Janice Lee Fang Li-Lian a bit long? :/
    Congrats btw... !! You're such a cutie bawling for your name :)

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  3. hahah! really?? makes me curious what your last name it! :) be prepared to hang around in town for a longer stay before you change your name. its a long and lengthy process to change all other relevant documents!! *sweats*

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  4. at least if you look at the first three words, it sorta made sense!!
    if i didn't change, it would have been Cheng Tze Ying-Allender. the immigrations officers/passport control would have a ball trying to convince me my last name is Ying!! *faints*
    its quite a tiring process though cos now i have to head down to change my drivers license, change all my flights to my new name, CPF, HDB.. bah..

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  5. is it that complicated! no lah... i think you just have to change in the central system and everything else gets updated. prob just have to get a new driver's license card or something.
    hmmm ...

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  6. is it!? i better go check it out cos at present im ploughing through a long list of places to call and update. one by one. including insurance companies, airlines (with exisiting bookings..) etc.

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  7. that is sooo cool! i know i sound quite silly but it sure it.
    which brings me to a question of my own...how am i gonna fit in my super long name with my hubby's (when i do get one) into three boxes - first, middle and last?!?! hmm...

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  8. hahaha!! if you want to fit it in three boxes that is..
    im sure a lot of people go around with SUPER long names! :)

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  9. i like your new name! =)
    mine will be totally weird if i add his family name to mine next time O.o

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  10. has a nice ring to it, right? :) meant to beeeee! :)
    i love your first name though, its a really pretty name!

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  11. haha so cute you!
    thanks dearie! =)
    ya know, i think Tiffany Yoong (my name now) still sounds the best than Tiffany Lim (future name).

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