An Interview With Bship
In the cover story of this week’s issue of Time Magazine, we were able to catch up with University of Chicago Ph.D. student and sometime Youtube video aficionado Bship. Between rounds of homework for his doctorate in Arabic Literature and finding creative ways to cook ramen noodles, Bship sat down with us for an exclusive interview. We take you behind the scenes and show him as you’ve never seen him before—up close, personal, and brutally honest.
TM: You don’t normally give interviews, so this is a special treat. Why the openness all of a sudden?
Bship: At my age (thirty), you come to see that honesty can heal all wounds. I just want to clear my name and set the record straight.
TM: You’re known in the public sphere for your interests in Arabic and things pertaining to the Middle East. How did you break into this field?
Bship: I lived in Brazil for two years doing missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being fluent in a foreign language (Portuguese) for the first time helped me see how important foreign language learning is to me. As I came back to the U.S. to pursue a bachelor’s in Comparative Literature at Brigham Young University, I started listening to Middle Eastern music, which led to a curiosity about languages of that region. Ten years later, I’ve studied Arabic for 9 years, lived abroad in Egypt and Jordan for extended periods, and I'm doing a doctorate in Arabic language and literature.
TM: What are you planning to do with your training in Arabic?
Bship: Well my passion is to be a professor, but I'm open to working in government or the private sector if that doesn't work out. My ideal is to find a career that I'm passionate about, but that also pays well and allows me to set aside plenty of time for personal relationships.
TM: Well speaking of a good work-life balance, how do you spend your free time?
(br (span="" style="background-color:yellow;")/)Bship: Free time? What’s that? [pause for laughter] I enjoy physical activity where I can get it, especially outdoor sports and dancing. I also love going to see live theater in all of its forms. I’ve done standup comedy before, albeit for a brief stint. And, of course, giving interviews to nosey reporters.
TM: Oh Bship, you’re too much! Anything else you’d like to tell our readership?
Bship: Aside from my fans, I want to thank Mom for always making sure I finished my sauerkraut before going to school every morning. Love like that is not soon forgotten.
