Hi.

My name is Julia. I live in Malaysia, in the suburban district of Subang Jaya, not far from Kuala Lumpur.

I am 8 years old, and I am in my second year of Primary School. Here in my country, we call it Standard 2, but I believe in some countries, they call it 2nd Grade.

I have a younger sister, Ellysha, and she's six. She's still in Preschool (Kindergarten), but she'll be in regular school next year.

One of my hobbies is reading. I just love reading. I don't know when I started the habit, but my mother says I had always shown interest in books even when I was a baby. My father would flash word cards to me even before I had learned to speak, my mother says. I don't know if that made any difference, but my father certainly thinks so.

I read most kinds of books. Books meant for kids, I mean. Well, sometimes I read my mother's books, but she doesn't mind. I've read a lot of Enid Blyton, completed a bunch of books in the Sweet Valley series, and recently, I finished a couple of Nancy Drew books that my cousin loaned me. But I also like non-fiction, especially books on Nature.

I also love handicraft and artwork. I have this book, "Brownies Annual 1997", that my mother bought for my sister and me last year at a book sale, and it's full of things to do. Ellysha and I have done several projects already ... and there are still another 128 more to go. Okay, okay, maybe just six.

My father is a musician of sorts, and I suppose he expects me to inherit his musical talent. When I was five, I was enrolled in the Yamaha Junior Music Course. A girl I knew from my Kindergarten, Kimberly, was also enrolled there. But I dropped out after a few months (I was not disciplined enough to practise regularly), while Kim went on to complete her course. I guess she must be pretty good by now.

I now go for piano lessons next door. My neighbor teaches music, and mom feels this is a very convenient arrangement. I have been taking piano lessons next door for more than a year now. However, I don't know if I will ever be the musician that my father wants me to be.

Oh yes, I wear glasses. I've been wearing glasses since I was five (or maybe four). Grandma says it's because I read too much, but I think it's in the genes.