Declan: Let’s start. Where do you live?
Owen: I live in Senegal which is in west Africa. Just so we are clear, Africa is not a country.
Declan: Yes, it’s a continent. So, you know how this works: age, grade, and siblings.
Owen: I am 16 and in 10th grade, so a sophomore. I have two sisters and one brother. I am the oldest.
Declan: What classes are you taking this year?
Owen: Umm, French 3, Geometry, Chemistry, English 4/5/6, Bible Survey, and US history.
Declan: How many years have you done TPS?
Owen: This is my second year, and I recently learned my last. I’m going to miss it.
Declan: I’m sure you’ll be missed. Do you have any pets?
Owen: Yes, we have a dog whose name is Lucy. I don’t know her age, and we have two cats. They all live outside, even though they all want to come inside.
Declan: Weirdest food you’ve ever eaten?
Owen: I’ve eaten lots of foods that other people think are weird: goat ribs, snails, frog legs.
Declan: Those are some fun ones. How would you describe yourself?
Owen: Very weird. I am in almost no way, shape, or form normal. Here in Senegal, I’m the white American, in France, I was the crazy American, in America, I’m the missionary kid from Senegal.
Declan: Being weird is fun. Do you play an instrument or sport?
Owen: It is fun. I used to take piano, and I am training for basketball instead.
Declan: Nice, what are some things on your bucket list?
Owen: Own a sword, finish my book, eat sushi in Japan, and have a dragon as a pet.
Declan: Why do dragons keep coming up in my interviews? What are some things you have crossed off your bucket list?
Owen: I’ve been to Germany, Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Senegal, Belgium a little, I have all the pets I want for now, and have tried crazy food.
Declan: What are some of your hobbies?
Owen: Basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, writing.
Declan: Cool, what are your favorites?
Owen: Here’s a few of my favorite things: When the dog bites, when the bee stings, just kidding. D&D, swords, blue, surfing, hanging out with friends because I am an extrovert, owls, Yassa poulet, book: Do Hard Things, movie: Pirates of the Caribbean the first one, higher by unspoken, and Claude Monet.
Declan: Now, what are some least favorites?
Owen: Mosquitos, I don’t really have a least favorite color, and there’s one book that comes to mind: the Romance of Tristan. I’ll go with Frozen II for a movie, Snowman by Sia, Mac and Cheese—I don’t like cheese, and soccer. I used to love it but just a casual fan now because I was compared to everyone else.
Declan: Interesting list. If your life was a book, what would it be called?
Owen: (The crazy American dealing with) The Senegal Factor.
Declan: If you could travel back in time, what would you tell yourself?
Owen: I half want to go back and tell myself something like “Beware the 17 of November,” but I also want to go back to when my parents first told us we were going to Senegal and say “it’s going to be fine and a little crazy.”
Declan: Chocolate or ice cream? Oops, I said it wrong again.
Owen: Chocolate because I love chocolate, and ice cream because it’s always hot in Senegal, but I think it can get cold sometimes. But, I’m crazy.
Declan: Do you have any fun piece of advice for the amazing readers?
Owen: Here’s one: Nobody knows what they’re doing, so just do it! Here’s pie themed advice: do or do not. There is no pie.
Declan: Pizza or Burgers?
Owen: That’s hard; it depends on where you get the pizza and burgers.
Declan: Batman or the hulk?
Owen: Batman.
Declan: French fries or bread sticks?
Owen: Now, we are getting into theological questions. After some tough consideration, breadsticks. The average breadstick trumps the average french fry.
Declan: Coffee or tea?
Owen: I am a coffee-holic. Nothing against tea–I really like it– but coffee is what makes me get up in the morning.
Declan: Pen or pencil?
Owen: Mechanical pencil.
Declan: Fun facts?
Owen: I like writing and drawing maps, I am one of the few people I know of from central Iowa who can surf, and by the time this comes out, I will be at least two weeks older. Also, KFC is taking over Africa. I went to a conference recently and two other families had KFC near them. KFC is going to dominate Africa.
Declan: That’s funny. What’s your favorite bible verse?
Owen, pulling out his Bible: Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.”
Photo Credit: Owen Jensen.
Hi Owen! Nice to meet you! Great article Declan! BTW Owen fun fact: I’m in YWW, a writing club and the author of Do Hard Things is the co-founder of it!! I love the book Do Hard Things too! 😀
Oh I’vew done some things with the YWW. I was in the crazy writing week thing.
wowwww! Youre in YDubs too! 😀 I just joined this jan 😀
This article made me laugh quite a bit, and it was nice to learn things about you that never came up in French class. What is in the Romance of Tristan, may I ask, that you hated it so much (I understand about Frozen II, though the beauty of the animation and the mood keep me from outright detesting it).
It was so fun learning about you Owen! I’m sad that you will be leaving next year though. Also why the 17th of November?
It was just a random date that nothing realy important came u p on
Thanks for another, Declan! You do be awesome, Owen!
You do be awesome 😂
Thanks
My sister said she was gonna come smack you when she read that your least favorite book is the Romance of Tristan (:
Once again, very nice Declan!
ayeeee US Historyyyy! Good Job Declan and Owen!
you’re hot
everyone is just like *no comment*
*no comment this is a very weird message*
That’s sus.
Kept waiting for my honourable mention to come up and it never did… really Declan? I mean, I’ve been mistaken for this guy so many times, I could at least get a shoutout in the article? Also, Owen, you look like a younger George Russell.
OK, so many is an exaggeration, maybe twice. But still.
Well here is a shout out now lol
😂😂😂
lol no offense to anyone this is prolly my favorite interview this semester
ur hilarious Declan lol
rofll good job guys
Finally someone doesn’t like soccer or
frozenII !! Everyone I talk to does….
who likes frozen 2- frozen 1 was way better
agreed 100%
ummm…tea’s better… but to each their own hahah
i loveee snowman by sia hahah such a deep song lol
Omw, Snowman is SUCH a good song!
KFC is indeed taking over Africa 😂😂. It’s so popular here is Uganda too lol
you’ve been lots of places!
This was great! Ephesians 6:11 is also one of my favorites