About Me
I'm a 19-year-old girl from Hermosa Beach, California. I'm actually from Brazil, but I have lived in California since the age of 12. I'm in college (2nd year), studying photography and criminal law. I live at home with my father and siblings. I adore horses and dolphins and collect toys and figurines of both. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, taking vacations, doing something new and exciting, and playing sports. I have two part time jobs, one as a crisis center volunteer, the other as a dancing instructor. I have been taking dancing lessons since I was little, and now help teach others. I love to see the world and explore life. I am very open minded and like making new friends. I'm a vegan. I'm interested in art, nature, and astronomy.

My Family
My family is large. My mother died when I was 12 (the reason I made the move from Brazil to California). My 6 brothers and I had nowhere to go and really no place to call home. Our father had died while I was very young, and I don't remember him. We had no other relatives in Brazil, but it turned out we did in California - our mothers 1st husband and my older brother's father. Somehow, all of us ended up going to live with him. I remember it very clearly, I thought my world was basically spinning out of control at that point. It's scary being 12 and having just lost your parent, and then to have to move to another country to live with someone you have never met before! It turned out so well though... we were adopted by our step-father (that is why I have 2 last names), and we gained 5 more siblings - a sister and 4 brothers.
So, my family is: my dad Vaughn, my (biological) brother Daven (20), my sister Kelly (19), my brothers Keith, Rhys, Vincent, Sky (17), my (biological) brother Logan (17), my (biological) brother Austin (16), my (biological) brother Matthew (15), my (biological) brother Raber (15), my (biological) brother Jason (15).

My Friends
My best friends are my sister Kelly, Jennifer Takovski, Melanie Honor, Gavin Trendare, Lukas Knoton, Ranon Wildescent, Beth Brenton, and my boyfriend Chad MacLeod.
Kelly: My sister and I are very close. It's really amazing how well we get along. She's the best.
Jennifer: Jennifer is funny, with a really really great sence of humor. She does all sorts of crazy things that we would even think up! She is so much fun to be around, always busy and always full of ideas on how to spend time. True, she's gotten us into trouble with her antics before.
Melanie: Melanie is the shy one. we have trouble getting her involved. She's always there for us, to listen and to care. She just has a wondeful heart. I admire so many things about her... how she cares about people, how thoughtful she is, how she is able to show people that she cares so easily.
Gavin: Gavin's the troublemaker. I'll never forget the time he got all of us arrested... for hijacking a tractor! He's a really great friend though, mostly because he's not afraid to get involved! He defends anyone who is in trouble... I suppose fighting isn't the best way to handle all situations but it's better than those people who will just stand by and let someone be teased or bullied without stepping in.
Lukas: Lukas' the "boss". He always seems to be leading us into something, talking us into signing up for sports events, additioning for tallent shows, starting a band, entering contests. is latest was talking us into trying out for modeling jobs! Wouldn't you know it, he was the only one that got a job! Also, he and Jennifer have been steadies since 7th grade!
Ranon: Ranon is the one that gets into all the trouble... by accident usually! One time we all went to Lake Shand and took his dad's new jeep... somehow the jeep ended up in the lake, completely under water! Gavin, his boyfriend, must be a bad influence!
Beth: Beth is my oldest friend! And still the closest. I really don't know what I would do without her. She is my most trusted confidant. She is so trustworthy... she is the kind of person you would allow to read your diary! If there is one friend-for-life that I have, it's Beth.
Chad: Chad has been my boyfriend since the summer between 9th and 10th grade. You would never believe how we met! My family was taking a vacation at Lake Tahhoe, and his family was staying in the cabin next door to us. We met... liked each other, and spent two weeks having a great time... attended a dance, joined a water-skiiing contest, went horseback riding... we spent every possible moment together. When it came time for me to go home, we started to exchange addresses, only to find that we live in the same town! Duh! Neither of us had bothered to ask where the other one was from! I think that was just the coolest thing to happen to me. We've been together ever since then. We attend the same college, and hopefully maybe will get an appartment together once we are both ready to move out on our own.

Things I Do
This is not a very long list. I've been busy with college, and I don't do very many extra activities.
My job at the crisis center: I work at a crisis center, providing first aid, medical assistance, and couselling to the homeless (most of them teenagers). I bandage cuts and scrapes, and assist them in getting help for more serious problems. I work 3 days a week for 3-4 hours each time.
My job as a ballet instructor: I work at my old school, helping teach the basics of ballet to 8 year olds. I love working with them, and it's a fun (but demanding) job. I work 2 days a week for 3 hours each time.
Community softball team: I really enjoy being on the team. Actually, this is something my entire family participates in. I play in about 8 games a season.
Summer camp CIT: I instruct a nature awareness class 2 days a week during summer. We go on hikes, look for wild animals, photograph the wild life, identify trees and plants... I conduct a "Save The Earth" seminar at the end of the class, and help the kids put on a presentation/play about it.

Future Plans
I plan to become a crime scene photographer or work in a crime lab. I plan to continue my study of criminal law, and will be starting my study of criminal pathology soon.
I would like to have a family, not as large as the one I have now! Maybe one or two biological kids, and I would like to adopt a child(ren).
I plan to stay right here in California.