BY TAVI GREENFIELD

When I got to Bowdoin last year, all anyone was talking about was Evan G. They put up posters with his face all over the place, organized runs for him, and held talks discussing his “detainment”. With all this support on campus, it seemed like this guy must have been going through hell. But my mama didn’t raise a sheep, and being the independent, free-thinking journalist I am, I decided to do my own research and see how brave this Evan G guy actually was. So, back in July, I did a quick directory search and reached out to Evan Grauer ‘26 with some questions. These were his answers:

TG: Where are you writing to me from? Can you describe your surroundings?

EG: I’m writing this from inside my apartment, which is just south of Copenhagen, Denmark.

TG: What are your living conditions like?

EG: My living conditions are quite spacious, with my own kitchen and bathroom. I do have a roommate, though.

TG: How often are you able to contact your family?

EG: I am able to talk to my family at least once a week–sometimes more.

TG: Does the language barrier pose extra challenges?

EG: There is very little language barrier. Pretty much everyone speaks English, and they don’t expect you to speak Danish.

TG: A lot of people here on campus are thinking of you and hoping you come home soon. What does that support mean to you?

EG: I’m flattered that people are thinking of me. While I’m having a great time here, I am looking forward to being back in the spring.

TG: There are talks of a possible prisoner swap to bring you home. What are your thoughts on that?

EG: What?

Evan seemed confused by that last question, but clearly he was thriving overseas! I mean honestly, what was all the fuss about? I get he’s brave for going abroad and living so far away from home, but that’s a fairly common Bowdoin experience. I was tired of all this nonsense, and I started to suspect that maybe this Evan G had been lying to us all along. When I reached out to his supposed employer, the Wall Street Journal, they said that they never employed an Evan Grauer and that I should please stop emailing them. Evan’s LinkedIn page tells a different story, however, as it turns out he spent his first year summer at a law firm combating environmental analysis of legal data or something like that. Maybe Evan Grauer was not detained in a Russian prison for 16 months, but it looks like could be a hero after all. Only time will tell.