More Than Just Another Pretty Face 
by Andrew Kerr
January 2007

Cailyn Cui is a 19 year-old freshman at Georgia Tech. In addition to her myriad academic achievements, she is also participating in the world of scholarship pageants. I spoke with her about her background, coming to America, and the pageant life.

This interview was conducted on January 12, 2007.

Q - You were born in Dalian, China. You came over here at age 13. Were you living in Dalian until that age?

A - I moved to Dalian at six or seven. I stayed there until I was 13.

Q - What was it like living there?

A - It's a nice city--very clean compared to a lot of other Chinese cities. It's near the ocean and has a beach. Dalian is somewhere where foreign people go a lot of the time. It has all kinds of clubs mostly for Canadians and Americans. I guess that's how my mom got to know her American speaking friends.

My mother studied English in college; I think she was an English major. She was a translator for her company, which is how she met my dad. They assigned her to this company business person (my dad is American).

Q - They seem to be proud of their soccer over there. A Dalian promotional video I watched on the city's official site included a soccer ball prominantly incorporated in some sort of a logo.

A - I think our city is known for the soccer team and for fashion--it hosts an international fashion month. Hong Kong is considered "the southern pearl." They call our city "the northern pearl." The slogan for the 2008 Olympic games in China is: "Compete in Beijing and travel in Dalian."

Q - Where does your family live in Georgia?

A - My mom is in Columbus. She's moving to North Carolina to be with my dad because he wants to retire there.

Q - What were your first years in America like?

A - I didn't know any English. I think [in Dalian] we learned how to say hello in 4th grade. On the plane to the states I was so cold and thirsty, but I didn't know how to ask for water in English!

They put me into ESOL. I took that for probably a semester. My mom told me the first few years I was stressed out. I don't remember being stressed out. I just remember that I had a few friends.

It was probably during the second year when I found I could speak and understand everything--probably freshman year. I didn't have to go through my little handheld translator thing.

Q - When did you become a citizen of the United States?

A - I guess it was maybe sophomore year I got my citizenship. We went through the immigration building and got a certificate saying I was an American. I was very proud!

Q - Having lived in two different countries, and having traveled a lot (Japan, China, around the US, England, France, Chile), how do you view yourself in term of nationality?

A - I think I still see myself as Chinese. However, I think I'm more Americanized than Chinese. Everything that I do or think is Americanized. Friends of mine tell me, "You're not Chinese at all! You're totally American!" And I've only been here for six years! I have never used chopsticks at my house! My dad and his side of the family say, "You adopted to American life faster than anyone."

Q - What was the Engineering and Architecture program at Northside Magnet High School like?

A - I loved it. Before, I was never interested in engineering. I had Dr. Edmondson [a teacher at Northside] for every semester for four years. I learned how to design stuff on the computer, and circuits. I thought electrical engineering was interesting.

Now I know what I like and don't like. The program is a good way to find out if you like science, or math, or English.

Q - You participated in quite an array of programs in high school. Which of these meant the most to you?

A - I was involved in Math Club and Future Business Leaders of America. I liked those because we had to compete, and that winning feeling is really good.

After my first few years I ran for officer of the leadership group, student councils, math club and other student organizations. I liked math team a lot. First year we didn't win anything. But in the secnd year we got a little bit better, made some progress.

Q - What are you thinking about majoring in here at Georgia Tech?

A - I am definitely interested in industrial engineering and maybe a double minor economics and international affairs.

Q - You're in a beauty pageant right now. It sounds from your emails that you've been very busy working on that. What's the schedule like?

A - It's still ongoing. Tomorrow [at that time Saturday, January 13--ed.] is actually the interview portion. Tonight we're having a girl's night out to get to know each other. The pageant is on the 26th of this month, the last Friday in January, at Gwinnett Center.

It started the first week that school did. We started having practice on Saturday for about four hours, practicing the opening number where all the girls dance together. We continued to meet every Saturday in October till now.

The way they judge you includes your personality (from the interview), and your talent, which was recorded the week before Christmas break. Another part is the way you present yourself, which will be judged the night of the pageant. And then your application, resume, how many hours you volunteer--I think that plays the biggest part.

It's more a scholarship pageant than a beauty pageant--the "Miss Asian Atlanta Scholarship Pageant." This one is only open to college students. I'm sure they're looking for academic accomplishments. First place gets $4000 tuition for next semester. Second is $2000, Third is $1000.

Q - What was your talent for the talent portion?

A - I played the piano. I played "Think of Me" from the Phantom of the Opera. That's Broadway, of course, but I play classical music most of the time.

Q - Why do a beauty pageant?

A - At first I was looking for scholarships, and I had a few friends from high school who had been doing pageants for the last few years. So I went on the web looking for scholarship pageants.

I'm not expecting to win this pageant, but you meet some new friends and new girls, and I really like meeting new people.

I'm not that great at being on stage, so this is a good way to learn how to present yourself properly. I was shy in China. My mom was a shy person, too. Now we talk about how much we've changed. American schools make you open up more than Chinese ones.

Plus, I have nothing else to do on Saturday!

Q - How is Tech treating you?

A - I love it. It's definitely different from high school. In China college is easier than high school, but college in America is harder than high school. In high school in China there are so many people competing to go to college. And there's no community college, either, so if you don't do well you either stay back a grade or take the test again.

I'm really lucky I'm in one of the top colleges. But it's hard because there is still some language barrier that I have to overcome everyday. Writing is difficult for me, still. It's different from how we learned to write in China. But I like American writing--it's short and to the point.

Q - Any advice for people who might want to go see you in the pageant?

A - Get there early to get a good seat, because the tickets don't include seat assignments!