MY NAME IS OLA

I LIVE IN POLAND WITH MY LOVELY PARENTS AND A LITTLE SISTER WHO ALWAYS TRY TO HELP ME WHEN I HAVE PROBLEMS. I AM SLIM. I AM QUITE SHORT FOR A TEN-YEAR-OLD AND I DON’T REALLY LIKE IT. I HAVE LONG FAIR HAIR THAT MY MUM DOES IN A PLAIT AND GREY EYES; HOWEVER, NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SAY WHAT THEIR EXACT COLOUR IS. YOU CAN USUALLY SEE ME WEARING A COLOURFUL SKIRT, LEGGINGS AND A GROOVY TOP.

Now it’s time for the part that I dislike the most, namely, my strenghts and weaknesses. It’s extremely difficult to describe yourself as you have to look at yourself from different angles, not only the positive one. Beauty makes me feel joy and gives me an instant will to live. I am usually very happy and optimistic. I am not the kind of person who keeps their head in the clouds but a rather down-to-earth one. I have a good sense of humour. I think it is important that I can laugh at myself as well.

I am a rather hard working girl but not too organised. I often get very excited about some new ideas but tend to lose my patience with it quickly. I can be also characterised as extremely stubborn, which can be sometimes annoying to my friends or relatives. I am generally friendly but when I don’t like something I can show some bad temper as well. I have problems making new friends because I am very shy. I also find it really difficult to adjust to a new environment. I don’t like being a burden to anyone but I also don’t like it when people lie, particularly when they do that looking you straight in the eye. I try to avoid two-faced people. Lately, however, friends from school turned out to be so and I can’t avoid them as we are in the same class. I value honesty the most in my peers as this, as well as devotion, is something you can base friendship on. I am a good student and learning is not a problem for me.

I like acquiring new information and getting to know the world through that. I love trips of all kinds. Particularly the ones I can go on with my family. Tuscany was our last trip. Me and my sister played in the sea. It was fantastic!

I am equally proud of all my achievements and failures as they are all part of my personal history. I really like meeting my friends. I feel relaxed when I am with them and I can do a lot of crazy things as well. However, I only share my biggest secrets with my mum. I like listening to music and singing, which is often a nuisance for my family. I sing in a school band. Lately I came second in a local Christmas carols singing competition.

My main interest is learning foreign languages, which I also intend to do in the future. The internet plays an important role in my life. I spend most of my free time browsing various websites, which often has negative effect on my school marks. My dad often says: ‘Will you finish already?’ I really like it though. I can very rarely hear negative opinions about myself, but still, there are some. Some people call me ‘small’ for example. Others, on the other hand, call me ‘a clever and precious girl.’ As you can see, it is a matter of personal opinion.

My real aim is to live in a way not to disturb other people. I wish that the great number of choices we have to make in our everyday lives was smaller. Life would be much easier then and people would not be sad so often. I love children and it pains me when I see on tv that the smallest and the most vulnerable human beings get hurt. In my house we try to eat meals together at the family table. I feel sorry for some of my friends who have to eat their dinner alone or in front of the tv because their parents are too busy or are getting divorced.

I still don’t know who I want to be in the future. One thing is for sure – I want to be a good person. My motto is to never regret that you haven’t done something. I think I am an honest girl and that you can turn to me for help if need be. I am generally goodnatured but, like everyone, I get depressed – you’d better not mess with me then. Oh well, no-one is perfect.

Aleksandra Borkowska, aged 10

Translation by Kamila Miszewska