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SCMP Reporter

Connecting with teens around the world
Name Marlene Breier
Age 15
City Vienna
Star sign Libra
I'm an AFS exchange student from Vienna, Austria, currently living with my host family in Tsing Yi.
Vienna is the capital of Austria.  It's a beautiful city with  wonderful countryside surrounding it.  We get short, heavy rainstorms in the summer  but it's still warm. In winter it may snow, but it's still very sunny.
Vienna is known for its  arts and culture, but what I like most about my country is the peace.  Austria has many different sides: it is both traditional and modern, and has everything from snow-covered mountains to  sea.
The most important festival in my country is Christmas. The whole family comes together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We usually celebrate by decorating a Christmas tree and placing presents underneath it.
Teenagers in Austria can be separated into two groups.  There are those who care more about partying than  school.  Then  there are those who are  responsible and care about their future.
When I'm out with my friends, we either go dancing or shopping. We also like going to the movies,  sitting in Starbucks.  I also play a lot of tennis.
I go to the Hertha Firnberg Schulen specialising in tourism and economics. Our school expects a lot from the students and we have to work hard. I do my homework, but it's not the first thing I worry about when I come home.
I study  14 subjects, mostly taught in English. We learn four languages: German, my first language, English, French and Spanish. I've stayed with host families in England and France, so that I could improve on those languages. With my family I've been to Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Italy and Cyprus.
But as much as I enjoy travelling, I like spending time with my family and friends.
I would describe myself as a confident, outgoing person. I like to meet new people and see new places, but also enjoy  being with my friends and family. I  like spontaneous people.
Music is very important to me and I'm always listening to it.  I believe there is a song for every situation. My favourite genre is rock.
I normally watch comedies,  but I also like films about high school life and horror movies.
My family tries to eat together at least once a day. For dinner, we normally have fish or meat with rice, pasta, potatoes or vegetables. I don't have to cook but I like preparing desserts.
Most of the housework I have to do  is in my own room,  but we all help when it comes to tidying up the house and we pay someone to do our laundry.
My only pets are an eight-year-old cat called Mauna and some fish in the garden pool. Sadly, Mauna likes to eat those fish.
It's hard to find an idol because many people have done great things. But Marie Antoinette really inspired me. She was a strong personality who said what she thought, which is important.
I don't think about the future too much. First I want to graduate and then I'll probably keep on studying, maybe journalism.
This is my first time in Asia. I'm very interested in the cultures and languages.
I think Hong Kong is a city of dreams and I hope that one of my dreams will come true here. I'm studying at Buddhist Sin Tak College and I'm sure this will be a great exchange year.



Austria