The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Cory Reed

Alice Ngin, the manager of Panda Express, has worked at the Memorial Union food vendor for seven years. She was born in Singapore, lived in Puerto Rico for three years and is now settled in Corvallis.

For the full interview go to http://barometer.orst.edu/podcasts/.

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Can you talk about your background?

Summer '93 we immigrated here. We moved to Puerto Rico for a job assignment, and I was basically a homemaker at that time. And I didn't think of getting a job until we came back three years later ... I stumbled upon Panda Express ... it was in the papers. I had no clue about Panda Express ... I came in and I stayed. I've been here for seven years.

Are you still feeling connected to [Singapore]?

I visit my hometown every year … and most of my family members are there.

Do you have any idea why orange chicken is so popular?

I can identify with why Americans like it, because it's tangy .. and it's crispy and it's crunchy and it's juicy inside … and that's the allure for local people I think..

Are there any other items on the menu that are even close to popular?

Yes, mandarin chicken … a close cousin, a close runner up.

Do you have a lot of regular customers?

Oh, yes.

Do you see a lot of people every day?

Yes. A lot of repeat customers throughout the day, throughout ... every ... you know, seven days a week. Yeah seriously, they come sometimes twice a day ... I'm not kidding.

What do you like about working on this campus?

Oh, the people. How nice they all are. I wouldn't trade this place for any other location.

Do you work seven days a week?

No, well, five and a half.

What do you do when you're not here?

I like gardening, I like taking walks and stuff like that. I hone on my language skills … which is Spanish … I'm trying to hone it, make it better.

So how many languages do you speak?

Chinese, some native languages, and English … and Spanish.

Do you get a chance to use the variety of languages here on campus?

Yeah, sometimes I see Asians who speak Mandarin … sometimes they come from Hong Kong and I speak to them in Cantonese.

Do you like American food? In general do you eat American style food?

In general ... I actually eat healthy.

So, no?

I eat hamburgers once a year ... I keep it healthy.

So you don't get over to Carl's Jr.?

I'm sorry I don't … I keep to my own type of food.

You've been in the United States for several years. Did it take a while to adjust to the culture here?

It was a little lonely at first … because even though I speak the language it's hard to go out and get friends … but after a while you just get used to being there and finding things to do by yourself.

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