There is new representation for doctorial students on the Graduate Council this semester, and her name is Elaine “Mei-Ying” Lin.
Originally from the island of Taiwan in east Asia, Lin has lived in the U.S. for the last seven years and been in Texas since April 2006-the last six in Commerce.
“I like Texas,” Lin said. “Except summer – it’s so hot.”
It may be hot, but, according to her, it’s also quieter and more relaxing than Taiwan.
Lin received her master’s in computer science, with a second in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and has been working on her doctorate since 2005.
“I hope to be done in the summer of 2009 [sic], because I really want my parents to attend graduation,” Lin said.
Her parents were unable to witness her receipt of her master’s degrees. She hopes they will be able to travel to the U.S. from Taiwan to attend the graduation ceremony for her doctorate.
Neither parent can speak English, so the trip could be tiresome, necessitating an interpreter.
Lin is now the only member of her family to be in this country. Her younger sister, brother-in-law, and their two kids – both born in America – moved back to Taiwan this summer. They helped her adjust to life in America, and gave her a place to go when she got lonely or needed a break.
“I cannot all the time stay at school,” she said. “That would be too much.”
Now with them gone, she can’t just pop over and hang out. Instead she travels to Chinatown in Richardson, to eat some real Chinese food, do some grocery shopping, or visit the Buddhist temple there – the nearest one to her – to think and reflect.
“The smell of incense calms me down,” Lin said.
Sometimes on the way, she stops at Lake Ray Hubbard, just past Rockwall.
“I like to stop by there [sic] and look at the people, and not think about school work,” Lin said.
Lin also loves to shop.
“I will spend two to three hours in one store, just trying things on, looking at things, and in the end, I won’t buy anything,” she said with an embarrassed smile and a laugh.
“It’s difficult [with them gone] because I’m pretty family-bonded,” Lin said. “Luckily, I have lots of friends; they help.”
Lin said when she first moved here she would get, but her family helped ease her into the new life. The children helped her improve her English, and her brother-in-law came up with her American name, Elaine.
“It has no meaning for me,” Lin said.
At first they thought Mary, but decided that was, perhaps, too common.
“I go by Elaine. It’s just easier, but some of the professors prefer to call me by my Chinese name,” Lin said. “I’m happy about that. A lot of people know me as Elaine, especially my classmates. Because always when I introduce myself, I introduce my Chinese name, and then say, ‘I go by Elaine, and you can just call me Elaine.'”
The adoption of an American name doesn’t bother her. In fact, she explained lots of Taiwanese students adopt more English sounding names to make it easier for others to not only remember, but to pronounce correctly.
After receiving her doctorate, she plans on staying in the U.S., but needs a company to sponsor her. If no such sponsorship arrives, she plans to return to Taiwan.
“I would try to find a job here, if I can,” she said.
Teaching at a university is Lin’s ultimate goal, and she said she would like to stay in the A&M system, which she said would be nice.