I have been having some problems with my name lately. At my bank my account name uses my full name while my visa with the same bank uses just my first and last. Mail arriving to my house uses either my first and last, my Chinese name, or my first and last with an initial.

I get cheques from the US monthly and if you know Taiwan at all you know it's an absolute miracle to be able to cash these. This enthusiasm tends to be tempered with the realization of all the forms you have to fill out. 30-40 minutes later you leave unscathed.

If there is any slight difference between what appears on the cheque and your name, hassles ensue. No amount of identification or proof will make a difference if the cheque does not match visually with what they have on file. Rules are rules that only they can break when it's convenient for them. So, I change the way my name appears on the cheque. Now unfortunately the post office doesn't recognize my name and returns all the cheques.

That useless middle name of mine. Prince had the right idea.

Categorized: Living in Taiwan

Tagged: , Living in Taiwan