Cheese and Beer?

Aua,  Aey, Aem, Oei, Uning, Endoo.

You've got that right?? Ok here are some more names.

Fah, Fon, Fifa, Toomtam, Tonlew, Chatchai, Kaohom, Matmee, Numchoke,  Pangpond, Pingpong, PP, Plub, Pim, Peem, Phing, Pream, Preaw, Poom, Boom, Bam, Dong, Lookpla, Yok, Yam.

You'll remember those right? Along with the other 30 on your class list.

Then there's the Fah 1 and Fah 2 or the students that change their name throughout the semester.

Or some more fun names:  Bonus, Best, Title, Nice, Proud. Often the kids with these names are the worst in class.

Or the cute Primary girls named Ant, Fame, Cheer, Angel, and Cream.

Or some other favorites:   Cheese, Mammoth, Beer, Ikque, Porn, Ice, Auckland.  


I kid you not these are names of real children called by their teachers and families alike.  There are the western names thrown into the mix: Andrew, Annie, Peter, Max,  but those students are a minority, maybe 4 out of a class of 30.

Culturally children are given a nickname at a young age, spelled in English like the ones I listed. They also have their full Thai name which is written for final tests, school and governmental paperwork.  But on a day to day basis they are called Cheese or PP.

At first the nicknames were overwhelming, especially with the number of students I was teaching and only two hours a week.  Now although I still get a good laugh, it's just the norm for me.  I can remember every name of my 100 Primary students on a good day.  I still can't say a few, or don't say it in a way that the students responds too, but they are just the kids names now.

Which are your favorite nicknames? Or teachers in Thailand what awesome names should be added??