What’s in a Name?

At 42 letters long my name is a little longer than the average name in North America. To make it a bit easier for anyone having to say it or type it, I publish under Paula Nunez de Villavicencio (Noon-yes de Vee-ya-vee-sen-see-o) — yes, that is a single name — instead of the full “Paula Catalina Sanchez Nuñez de Villavicencio.” If my second last name still seems too long, you can refer to me as just Sanchez, just Nunez, or just V. I could probably shorten my name to Paula Sanchez, but it would mean giving up part of my culture which is not something I want to do.

Hobbies

Metalsmithing — Lately I’ve been thoroughly enjoying spending my time forging and working with metal to make some pretty neat things! My next project will be making steel knives, but I still really love working with silver to make beautiful—if small—pieces.

Cross-Country Skiing (Classic) — Winter is long here, and the best way to take advantage of the outdoors is with a cardio-heavy activity that let’s you enjoy the crisp, cool air for hours. The hot tea at the end may or may not be the best part.

Creative Writing — I’m currently working on a children’s fantasy novel, that was inspired by my qualifying exams. I was trying to think of a way to explain to my niece what the fields of Communication, Media History, and Epistemology offer, and a story was the best way I could think to translate heavy academic theories. By the time the book is done, it will be a primer for Foucault and the field of Communication for ages 8 and up.