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Name: Emma Maija Nyren

Age: 18

City, country: Stockholm, Sweden

School: Sodra Latins Gymnasium

People often see me as quiet, someone who listens more than they talk. But when I know people better, I'm the opposite - I like talking and joking a lot. I think I'm quite a considerate person, but I can often make things more complicated than they actually are.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Many old buildings still exist and we have a castle where the king lives. The city is surrounded by water so it's easy to take a ride on one of the many ferries. There is also a good system of buses and trains.

We have some big shopping malls, good cinemas and many parks and venues for sports.

The thing I like most about Sweden is that it is naturally beautiful. It would be difficult to live without all the green flowery meadows in spring and summer, the golden and red leaves in autumn, and the silvery landscape knee-deep in snow in winter. And then there's the gorgeous blue lakes!

The temperature in winter is about minus five degrees Celsius and there is usually snow. In summer it's about 20 degrees and the flowers are out in force.

I specialise in visual art but I also study history, chemistry and maths. I also get to choose other subjects like languages and dance.

I speak Swedish (my mother tongue) and also English that I've learned in school. I studied Spanish for six years but I can't speak any.

In my spare time, I meet my friends in cafes. We chat over coffee and cake. We also rent films and watch them together at home. Sometimes we rent three or more films and stay up the whole night watching them.

My favourite sport is rounders. It's similar to baseball, but easier. I play with my family and friends in summer. We often have a barbecue afterwards.

In summer, I often ride my bike to a nearby lake and swim. Sometimes I take homemade sandwiches and cookies with me. In the evening, I meet up with my friends and go to a party at a friend's home or to a park.

I have a brother who is 22 years old and has already moved out. We have a good relationship and I often go out with him and his friends.

My mother is an artist and I often go shopping with her. She loves to go to museums and art exhibitions. We share all our secrets.

My father likes playing tennis and watching movies. He is good at telling jokes and children love him.

In winter holidays, my family often travels abroad to warmer countries such as Greece or Italy. Over Easter, we usually go skiing in the north of Sweden. I also go snowboarding - it's my favourite outdoor activity.

We spend the summer holiday in our summer house on a small island in the Swedish archipelago. We go fishing, play badminton and have a sauna twice a day.

The most famous food in Sweden is meatballs, but we eat a variety of food. For dinner, we often eat potatoes with meat or fish, or rice and couscous.

My mother and father cook most of the time, but I help them out sometimes. I usually make the desserts. I like muffins and cake very much.

I haven't decided what I want to be in the future yet, but I would like to work abroad in an art-related field.

If you want to make friends with teens from other countries, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Young Post will forward all e-mails to Emma.