‘I’m an American and I’m Proud of it’
A degree, a job, a family, Han Owens finally becomes a citizen
By JON MARK BEILUE
As a young girl living in Taoyuan, not far from Taipei in Taiwan, Han Hsu always wanted to study abroad. She really wanted to go to England though college there was too expensive for her family, but she was determined to look at all options.
“We listened to the radio a lot in Taiwan, an all-English station, and they were talking about an exchange student program,” she said. “My parents had no idea what I was listening to, but I told them about the conference where you could learn about exchange student options. They said, ‘Sure, you can go.’”
It wasn’t all that long before Han Hsu found herself, at age 16, in Denton, Texas. She stayed with the Bob and Lillis Owens family, who had a son named Nathan. For her junior year in 2006, she went to Ryan High School but returned to Taoyuan to finish high school in 2008.
However, she intended to return to the United States for a college education. She took the foreign student entrance exam, and her score and interests best fit three college options: the University of Kentucky, University of North Texas in Denton, a place she was familiar, and a school in Canyon, Texas, called West Texas A&M University.
“I had zero knowledge about WT,” Han said.
But WT did offer the most enticing scholarships for foreign students. She knew the University was a part of The Texas A&M University System, which is well known in Taiwan. Han spent time on Google, talked to a few people, checked on some ratings, and did some other homework. With a long leap of faith across the Pacific Ocean, Han headed for Canyon in the fall of 2008.
“I thought I’d give it a shot,” she said. “If it didn’t work out, I’d study there the first semester and transfer to UNT and be close to my host family again.”
And?
“In the beginning, I was terrified,” Han said. “I had no idea if I’d ever make friends and survive college and the whole process.”
She had to will herself to break out of a shell that a different language and culture in a strange place might keep sheltered. It started with student orientation where she met others in similar straits that became her best friends. Clubs and honor societies furthered her transition from Southeast Asia to the Texas Panhandle.
“You have to step out of your comfort zone, that’s what I would tell any foreign student,” Han said. “Taiwanese students typically don’t go out much. The culture is different. We don’t hang out the way students do here. Maybe your English is not as good or you’re scared to say the wrong word. So it’s easy not to get out and explore. It is a culture shock, but you can get through it.”
It was also at WT that the Owens family in Denton would have a more lasting impact. That young boy, Nathan, had since become her boyfriend. He came to Canyon in the winter of 2009 to be closer to her.
Han would graduate in 3 ½ years in 2011 with a degree in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business administration. Former professors Lori Westermann, Dr. Butler Cain, and current associate professor of media communications, Dr. Enyonam Osei-Hware, played key roles in Han’s development.
“They were just phenomenal,” she said. “As a foreign student, there was definitely some assignments I had no idea about and didn’t understand. They patiently helped me through my college years.”
A marketing internship with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum turned into a position as marketing administrator for the Amarillo Civic Center after graduation. That was a job she learned of while scanning the City of Amarillo website in looking for work for Nathan.
The two married in July 2012. Nathan works at Bell Helicopter. Han still has her same position with the Civic Center. Together, they have Addelyn, 2 ½, and a German Shepherd, Sam, and a Labrador, Raiden.
Even though she has carved a stable and warm life in the United States, there was a bit of a hole. She studied at WT on a student visa. To remain in the U.S. legally, she purchased a 10-year green card, the “lawful permanent resident” card.
But what about the biggest step, an American citizen? Was that doable?
“It had been in my head for a while,” Han said. “We had been talking about it ever since we got married. To be honest, some of it was being lazy. I had the 10-year green card, so I thought I could put it aside and think about it later.”
For this only child, the death of her mother, Mei-Hsie, a few years ago was a catalyst to maybe quit thinking about it and do it. So last June she applied for citizenship. There was initially an interview test that included writing and reading three months ago. That was followed by a civil test where there were 100 possible questions on history, culture and civics of which she would answer six.
Then, on Jan. 7, the first Tuesday of the new year, Han Owens and 97 others took the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony at the Marvin Jones Federal building in Amarillo. She now had dual citizenship in Taiwan and the United States.
“At first, I didn’t feel anything,” she said. “It was more I’m glad it’s behind me. It was not until a few days later that it hit me. I’m an American and very proud of it. Now when we pledge allegiance to the flag, I can do it too. I used to stand respectfully. Now I can do the same thing everyone else does. I am happy and proud to do that.”
Han Owens
