Oracle Online

I don’t mean people who come up to me who ask to be interviewed. You don’t get a good story that way, the story’s got to find you. It’s a subtle action, like a twinkle in someone’s eye, or a grin that says ‘I know something you don’t’ that’s the tip off.

There are some people who want their story to be told and there are some who simply don’t. As I meandered through people studying in Bush Library, I did a bit of eavesdropping and had to slow down a bit when I overheard a conversation about the Chinese language led by an undeniably tenacious person.
Susie Bou, a first-year at Hamline is one who merits a few words. From the very beginning when I asked her to spell her name she showed a down-to-earth quality that you rarely find.

Lauren Vikander/Oracle: Would you spell your name for me please?

Susie Bou: S-u-s-i-e B-o-u, Susan’s my legal name, but Susan’s so formal, (laughs) so I go by Susie.

O: And I know you just started here, but do you have a major in mind?

SB: Well going off of my classes, I would say Asian Studies and Chinese.

O: Where are you living this year?

SB: Peterson, or what is better know as the Projects of Hamline.

O: Why are you going to school? What’s your driving force?

SB: Well, this is so clichÄ, but to succeed and be able to support myself. My parents work really hard because they immigrated here, so basically they’ve worked up from scratch and I really don’t want to let them down and essentially spit on their career. So I’m doing it for myself and for my parents. My parents are always calling me and making sure I’m doing my homework. Actually, my mom called me 15 minutes ago to make sure I was studying.

O: Where did your parents emigrate from?

SB: They emigrated here from Cambodia.

O: Do you know the Cambodian language?

SB: Oh yeah, [said in a true Minnesota accent] both my parents are fluent.

O: So what was the motivation for your parents to move to the States?

SB: Well, they had a great opportunity through a church sponsorship. I’m not sure exactly how it all worked, but they were able to leave the genocide that was taking place at the time and the refugee camp they were living in.

O: What is something that you commonly find yourself daydreaming about?

SB: Umm, graduating college. I also think about visiting other countries a lot too. Oh, and of course, boys; like who I’m going to meet, if I’ll ever settle down, those kinds of things. And I have to admit I think about what I’m going to eat for lunch quite a bit too.

O: Traveling huh? Is there anywhere specifically that you think about a lot?

SB: Well, I daydream about visiting southeast Asia where my parents are from. I’ve never been there so I want to visit. I guess specifically, I want to go to Cambodia and see where my parents grew up and where they lived in camps.

O: Do you like or dislike the fact that Hamline is a religiously affiliated school?

SB: Umm, I don’t mind it, I mean it doesn’t really affect me as long as they don’t start making me take religion classes. And as long as no one tries to convert me, because I really like my religion.

O: And what is your religion?

SB: I’m Buddhist.

O: OK. What is your involvement level with it? How often do you practice?

SB: Well, Buddhism is different than most people imagine. It’s not like most other religions where you attend services every week. It has a lot to do with astrology, Hmongs look at the days and see which days are the best to have service or meditation. There are really only two big holidays that my family and I attend. One is similar to the Day of the Dead celebrated in some Hispanic countries, and the other is the New Year.

O: What is your favorite drink?

SB: Coconut milk. It’s an oriental thing, so it’s not something you can just get in a regular grocery store, you have to go to an oriental grocery store. Yeah, a lot of my friends are like ‘eww’ but it’s not what you think, it doesn’t taste like milk, it tastes like coconut cream. It’s really good. Oh, and I really like bubble tea too. It’s tapioca like beads that are mixed into a flavor. My favorite is coconut, it’s kinda like a frappachino.

O: Have you ever met any of the Deans or the President?

SB: I know Carlos [Sneed]; is he a Dean? I don’t know any of the other ones. It’s hard to tell who’s a professor and who’s a Dean.

O: What is something that you’ve noticed about Hamline in your short time here that you don’t like?

SB: There is very little diversity. It’s kinda funny how Hamline prides itself on being so diverse, but when I got here it wasn’t. I mean, I liked the fact that they have a students of color retreat, it was a really good opportunity, and place to get to know a bunch of people. But if it was up to me I’d have Caucasian students there too.