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SCMP Reporter

Name: Sofia Gerard

Age: 17

City/Country: Mexico City, Mexico

School name: The Hotchkiss School

Star sign: Leo

I come from Mexico City but I study at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut in the United States. It's a boarding school so  my friends and I hang out  on campus even when we're not in class.

I study chemistry, maths, French, history and English and I spend an average of two hours  a day on my homework.

My first language is Spanish, the most common language in Mexico. But I speak English fluently and also some French.

For school holidays, I usually go home to Mexico. I get along very well with my  family.

I don't  have to do any housework  and my only obligation is to keep my room clean and tidy.

We  employ a cook at home, but we  have light meals. For dinner, we usually have a salad or quesadilla, a kind of tortilla (flour or corn pancake) with cheese, meat, and bean filling, spiced with salsa.

I have two dogs at home, a Labrador retriever and a Dalmatian.

Apart from watching movies with my friends in my free time, I  go sailing.  I've been doing it for a long time and it's my favourite sport.  It's good for the mind and keeps me fit.

I get about US$50 a week as pocket money, and I enjoy shopping for my own clothes. I like  vintage clothes and classic styles.  Some of my friends say I'm a conservative dresser, but I also like trendy clothes.

It gets quite rainy in the summer  in Mexico City.  It's warm, with temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius  all year round.

It's a huge and busy city, with something always going on.

Independence Day is the most celebrated festival in Mexico,  and it's my favourite.   We  set off fireworks and  watch the president give a speech on TV.

Each region in Mexico has a distinct culture.  Mexicans are generally friendly,  and we put our family first. Families get together often.

Young people   can be superficial,  but they like to be aware of everything that is going on  in the world.  They think having a boyfriend or girlfriend is  important.

There are many wonderful places to visit in Mexico.  Chiapas,  a state in southern Mexico,  is in the middle of the jungle, with tall vegetation and a huge rainforest.  Hidden in the jungle are incredible Mayan ruins  decorated with murals  that depict human sacrifices, musicians and life at the royal court.

There is also the amazing Cascadas de Agua Azul,  known as the Blue Waterfalls.

I'm shy around strangers, so people may  think I'm aloof, but  actually I'm very friendly. I'm also  honest and determined.

I don't know  what I'd like to do in the future, but as I'm interested in subjects such as economics,  I  might work in the business sector - maybe I'll become a wealthy businesswoman!

But, as I'm still young, I'd like to keep my options open. Who knows what the future has in store for me?

If you want to make friends with teens from other countries, send an e-mail to yp.epal@scmp.com. Sunday Young Post will forward all e-mails to Sofia.



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