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Kristi Hsu and Cam Tran


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Kristi Hsu and Cam Tran, a newspaper and a TV reporter both fresh out of the University of Texas at Austin, share a house and adventures in Abilene.

KTXS reporter Cam Tran and Abilene Reporter-News writer Kristi Hsu have shared the "Greenbriar House" in Abilene for about a year. Though both grew up in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (Tran with a broadcast journalism degree in Dec. 2005 and Hsu with an English and art history degree in May 2006), they hadn’t met until fate brought them both to Abilene for their first full-time jobs. Hsu, a marathon runner, covers health and fitness. Tran covers the city of Abilene They answered questions for this report separately.

How did the two of you meet? And did you hit it off right away? Did AAJA have anything to do with you meeting?

Kristi: We actually met at an AAJA [Texas chapter] convention in Houston a few years back. If not for that chance meeting, I probably wouldn't have ever known Cam, since we run in different social circles. I think we went with a group to karaoke after the convention, which is how I got to know her.

Cam: We have a mutual friend, Ruth (who also works in the news business). She told me Kristi was interning in Abilene. After Kristi's internship, she was hired on full-time and was looking for a place to live. At the same time, I was looking to move out of an apartment and move into a house with two of my co-workers. We decided to add her into the mix and the next thing you know it was two guys, two girls (me and Kristi) and a media moguls' mansion.
Kristi and I have a unique relationship. We don't talk about it. In a small town, you have to find your own ways to have fun and Kristi is always my trusty side-kick. In fact, we've had some random moments here, which we've called "Cam and Kristi's adventures in Abilene."

Did you have any reservations about sharing an apartment with a potential "competitor"? Do you ever compete with each other on stories?

Cam: I don't see Kristi as "competition." We don't have the same beat and our station has a partnership with her newspaper. So in a way we share stories because of our TV/newspaper relationship.

What is the best part of sharing an apartment with Cam/Kristi?

Kristi: Having a fun person to hang out with just down the hall from me. Also, having roommate that loves watching the Food Network Channel. When she does cook, it's invariably good! Whenever I fly home, I always bring back Asian food to share and vice versa. It's also nice to be around someone that grew-up in Houston and went to UT. Whenever I was homesick early on, I could reminisce about Austin and Houston with her.

Cam: We live with two other boys, so It's nice to have a girl who I hang out with. Plenty of girl talks to gross our male roommates out about.

What is the worst part of sharing an apartment with Cam/Kristi?

Cam: I really can't think of one. Honestly, she's one of the best roommates I've ever had.

Kristi: It's really pretty fun all the time.

What are the fun thing to do in Abilene? Do you find those things to be fun?

Kristi: There are museums, a zoo, clubs and fairs here. But it's mostly like a Yankee's idea of Texas out here with all the rodeos and places to two-step. A lot of it is touristy stuff. But I think you really have to make your own fun in town. We end up having a lot of roomie game nights - It's surprising how fun Taboo, Speed Scrabble and cards can be.

Cam: Hmm, fun things to do in Abilene? There are none. We make our own fun.

What's it like to live in Abilene?

Kristi: I have to say that it can take a little while to get used to Abilene, but it's grown on me. I think I'm finally used to it. Although it has a fairly large population -- more than 100,000 -- it has this small-town feel. I'll run into sources when I go to the gym, when I'm at the mall and pretty much everywhere, which is odd. Everyone here is really friendly -- Southern hospitality is always out in full force.

Cam: Let say there's a shirt Kristi wears with the logo "keep abilene boring."

What would it be like to be living in Abilene and not be each other's housemates?

Kristi: I think it might be lonely, but I would probably meet more people that aren't associated with media. I hang out with my roommates a lot. Also, I probably wouldn't know nearly as much as I do now about being a TV reporter/anchor/producer.

Cam: I would be one very bored person.

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