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SCMP Reporter

Sharon Jarkie, 16, is a pupil at Island School, Mid-Levels. She came to Hong Kong from Sri Lanka when a month old, and is a member of the Hong Kong Model United Nations student society.

Where are you most likely to be at 10am on a Sunday? On my way to Trinity Chapel, Discovery Bay.

Where are you most likely to be at 10pm on a Friday? If I'm not with my best friend, Jenny, I'll be with my family.

Where do you go to escape in Hong Kong? If you really want to escape you should leave Hong Kong.

Whom in Hong Kong do you most admire? My parents.

Whom in Hong Kong do you least admire? The selfish and the arrogant.

What inspires you? The passion within people. I'm always inspired when they passionately tell me their ideas.

What has been your most haunting experience? Last October I went to a rural part of the mainland to teach English. Every night after the lesson I had to walk back to where I was staying with my friend, which was quite a long way. There were no street lamps, and to me the experience was haunting.

What do you do to relax? Hang out with friends and do normal, fun stuff.

What is your favourite food? Chicken. It doesn't matter how it is prepared.

To you, what is the most beautiful spot in Hong Kong? I am a city person and I love the skyline, especially when taking the ferry from Central to Discovery Bay.

What is the ugliest? The reclaimed area on Lantau where Disneyland will be built.

What was your childhood dream? To achieve whatever I wanted to achieve.

What has been your biggest achievement? My being here in the world, surrounded by the people I love.

What is the best thing about being a student? The constant learning, and being able to take whatever subjects you want. You learn something everyday.

What makes you smile? Thinking about my future.

What is the most overrated thing about Hong Kong? The shopping.

What do you love about Hong Kong after you've been away? The efficiency of the government departments and the transport. You might take it for granted, but not every government department is computerised.

What do you hate about Hong Kong after you've been away? The stereotyping. The way people look at you and treat you because of your appearance.

What are you plans? To go to college in California; to achieve everything I want to achieve and to establish my 'empire', perhaps by setting up my own designer clothes line.

What is your best virtue? My understanding of human nature.

Do you own anything you couldn't part with? My photographs, perhaps, but I am not a materialistic person.

Give us some wisdom ... You never lose by loving; you only lose by holding back.



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