My name is John-Paul, but many people call me J.P.  Take your pick. 

I started going by J.P. when I was young but found the initials problematic when as an adult I moved to Spain. In English, the letters J and P sound inoffensive, but in Spanish, when you put them together, it sounds like you’re clearing your throat and expelling the contents. “Hola, me llamo [clears throat and spits].”

I was born in Denver, Colorado in the U.S. and grew up an hour north in Fort Collins, on the front range of the Rocky Mountains. I moved to Luxembourg in 2007 and have also lived in Barcelona, New Orleans, Boulder, Norwich, and for an infinitesimal but precious stint, Galway.