When he was 15, moving to the U.S. from Vietnam, Long says it was the equivalent of winning a Wonka-esque golden ticket. But the reality wasn't all chocolate waterfalls and Gobstoppers. ''I didn't know any English at all. It was really hard,'' says Long, now 22, living in Silver Spring with his family. ''I was very cautious in the beginning.'' Now he's running around, hitting the Bachelor's Mill and Town, working full time in a government job and part time at Whole Foods. He's even earned a degree in linguistics and is saving to continue on to grad school in hopes of becoming an English teacher to other new Americans. He's certainly mastered the colloquialisms. ''I love it here," he says. "The DMV is off the chain.''
What's on your nightstand?My phone, ChapStick and TV remote.
Coverboy: Long
(Photo by Julian Vankim)
What's in your nightstand drawer? Lotion and body oil.
And the condoms? In a different drawer.
What are your television favorites?American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, The X Factor, Modern Family, Big Bang Theory, New Girl and Glee.
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?Tom and Jerry.
What superhero would you be? Jean Grey. She can be such a bitch, and I love it.
Who's your greatest influence?My mother. She works so hard. She's taught me that when you feel like giving up, you have to think of your motive.
What's your greatest fear?Losing people I love.
Pick three people, living or dead, who you think would make the most fascinating dinner guests imaginable.Ellen DeGeneres, Betty White and Beyoncé.
What would you serve?I would buy tiramisu, but I would make chicken curry. I make the best chicken curry.
How would you describe your dream guy?Toned, well-defined. Faithful. Someone with drive and passion.
Define good in bed.Someone who can make us both sweat.
Who should star in a movie about your life?Booboo Stewart.
Who was your first celebrity crush?Leonardo DiCaprio.
Did you cry when you saw Titanic? Buckets.
Who gets on your nerves? People who brag. Or people who nag about every little thing.
If your home was burning, what's the first thing you'd grab while leaving?My documents. Passport, Social Security card, all that jazz.
What's your biggest turn-on?Sweat. Like when a guy's jogging. But no odor!
What's your biggest turn-off?Bad odor.
What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet tried?Go to a Beyoncé concert.
What's something you've tried that you never want to do again?Drive to Champaign-Urbana, Ill., by myself. It was raining. I was new to driving. It was a mess.
You didn't get in an accident, did you? I did. In Ohio. No one was hurt.
Boxers, briefs or other?Everything, except thongs or jockstraps.
Who's your favorite musical artist? My all-time favorite it Beyoncé, but at this moment it's Drake.
What's your favorite website?YouTube.
What's the most unusual place you've had sex? I don't kiss and tell.
In a car? Maybe.
C'mon. Movie theater.
What position do you play in the big baseball game of life?Catcher. But I would love to pitch sometime.
What's your favorite retail store?Kohl's for buying for other people.
What's the most you'll spend on a haircut?I would spend up to $200, including color.
What about on shoes?$250.
What's your favorite food to splurge with?Tiramisu and chocolate cake. Both from my Whole Foods. Otherwise I wouldn't eat it.
What's your favorite season? Summer. I'm a Leo, so it's my season. And people sweat.
What kind of animal would you be?A dinosaur. People still want to know about them.
Any particular dinosaur? The one with the really long neck. Brontosaurus.
What kind of plant would you be?A sunflower, because they're big and bright.
What kind of car would you be?Definitely Batman's car from The Dark Knight.
What are you most grateful for?Being healthy. And having drive to do the things I want to achieve.
What's something you want more of?Dinero! Mucho mas.
State your life philosophy in 10 words or less.Less of the talking, more of the doing.
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