First Name, Last Name

I went to Student Service Centre (SSC), Groningen University yesterday with my Tanzanian friends, Noel and Fabian. We would like to register in Academic Writing Skills Course which is offered by SSC. After I arrived in Uurwerkersgang 10, Groningen, I parked my bicycle in Harmony Building then I walked to SSC office.

In the SSC office, there were 3 persons in the receptionist desk. I asked to one of them about Academic Writing Skills Course and after that she gave me a form. I had to fill out the form. I had to write about first name, last name, address, program, phone number, email and which course that I want to register. There are several offered courses, for instance Multiple-Choice Questions, Mindfulness, Academic Writing Skills workshop, Effective Studying, Managing Study Stress, Study Support Group, etc., but I am only interested in Academic Writing Skills course.

I gave the form to the SSC staff and I paid the course. Unfortunately, my friend can’t register because SSC doesn’t receive cash money. They need card to pay the course. After I paid, I talked to them and said that I can help them by using my card. While I was talking to them, the SSC staff asked me, “Winarto, what is your last name?”

I said to her, “Sorry, I don’t have. My name is Winarto….only!!”

She laughed, and followed by her friends in the receptionist desk and my friends as well. I wrote “Winarto” in the first name and for last name I left it empty. No wonder if she asked my last name. I said to her, “You can wrote Winarto Winarto.”

It happens several times. I have to write my last name and my first name. Sometimes I write “Winarto Winarto”, but I often write only “Winarto”. Perhaps, because of this problem, my visa application to the Netherlands was delayed for several days.

I am happy with my simple name, Winarto. It’s only 1 word and it consists of 7 letters.  My father, my mother and my brother also have simple name like me; 1 word and it consist of 7 letters. I think it is typical Javanese name, such as Bejo, Sarimin, Slamet etc. It is quite simple and easy to remember.

In Facebook, I divide my name into two parts for first name and last name, Win and Arto. Usually, I tell to people that my name comes from 2 languages, Javanese and English. Win comes from English language and Arto from Javanese language, which means Money. Now, you know the meaning of my name.

Thank you very much because you call me Winarto. You pray for me that I win money!! Amen… So, if I write “Winarto Winarto” for my first name and last name, I pray that I win money…I win money…Then when you call me Winarto Winarto, you pray for me that I win money…I win money… You win money as well my friends. Thanks to my parents because my name is Winarto.