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In Iceland, up until the 1990s, immigrants were obligated to choose a new Icelandic name to replace at least one of their names (first or last) when they became citizens. And we're talking about a patronymic system in Iceland, where your last name is basically your father's first name + "son" or "dóttir" (daughter) on the end of it... which makes it even crazier. I know several Thai women who ended up with last names such as, "Pétursdóttir'' (Peter's daughter), when it's obvious that her father's name was NOT Peter, seeing as she was born in Thailand and had a completely different name before immigrating. Totally absurd. They finally changed their "assimilation" policy and allowed all new immigrants to keep their original birth names. Pity those who came in the early days... image a completely Thai woman named Helga Pétursdóttir or some such nonsense!
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And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran
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