Bridge the World

There was an event in the Japan office and my parents, who were visiting for 10 days, joined the celebration. A couple of days later it was written that "Mr and Mrs Castillo" had been with us but "Castillo" is my mother´s last name so "Mr Castillo" is my grandpa... what was he doing here? Quite a funny confusion!

But I can understand how this happens, I guess that it is only in South America that we have 2 last names. Some people says that it is because we have a dad and a mom and we like keeping both last names to remember them.
I was also very confused in China until I understood that my friend´s first name and second name were not He Jia, but his first name is "Jia" and his second name is "He".

It does not become any easier when children have more than 2 first names. My uncle wanted a baby boy and for every baby girl he got, he had chosen a different male name. At the end, my male cousin (with 3 sisters) is called Jose Francisco Daniel Rodrigo Guerrero Castillo (and the last two are last names) .... complicated isn't it?

In the other hand it can be useful. I can use my second name and second last name, for example in the pasmo card (the one I use to ride the train in Japan) I am Marissa Castillo, which is still my name...