Sofia Petrenko 14, male from Kharkiv

Hello! My name is Sofia Petrenko, I am fifteen years old. I study foreign languages in the tenth grade at Gymnasium No. 3. Currently, I live in Kharkov, a big and amazing city with ancient architecture. But before the war, I lived in Dergachi. I miss that time very much, but I have to move on. Since I was five years old, I have been professionally engaged in dancing. I was very good at athletics, but because of the war, I had to give it up. I loved going to competitions and earned many gold and silver medals. Furthermore, I like to read books, listen to music, and collect K-pop albums.

I have a younger brother, Svyatoslav, who is nine years old. He likes to play football, so I often take him with me. My brother is in the fourth grade, and I always help him with his homework. My mom’s name is Yulia. We are always together, and she is like a friend to me. I can share anything with her. I love my friendly family very much, and I think that this is the most important value a person can have. My pets—cats Murka and Yuki—also live with me. I love animals and always try to give them a lot of attention.

I am very friendly, so I have a lot of friends. It would be wrong to say that I am the life of the party, but my friends always stay in touch with me and trust me with their secrets. I am a smart and pretty girl, and people seem to like me. I appreciate that very much, and I respond to them similarly. Everyone says I’m like my mom because I’m a good listener and very outgoing. I’m a total extrovert; I love people and the world around me. I understand others well and make friends easily. Being open-minded and sociable helps me expand my horizons and view of the world. Therefore, I enjoy meeting new people and communicating with them. I always try to be open and adaptable because our world is constantly changing.

I’m always trying to develop my skills, so going to America would give me a huge chance to change my life dramatically. In the future, I plan to work hard to achieve all the goals and dreams I have set for myself.

In conclusion, my personality traits are both innate and acquired. When I reflect on myself, I am often surprised by how differently I perceive myself. I am constantly striving to improve myself as a person.