The Newcomers
Dulcie and Valentina have recently moved into town and are just starting at Mount Bremner High School. They are both adjusting to their new environments in very different ways.
Dulcie
Dulcie’s family emigrated only a few years ago and she still retains her native accent when speaking. Her parents struggle with English and prefer to continue speaking Russian at home. Her family are also all big eaters, and overweight to varying degrees.
Dulcie is self-conscious both of her size, she’s not only chubby but also has a powerful ursine build, and her accent. Being ‘the new kid’ and having an accent makes her stand out in a way that Dulcie is not totally comfortable with. To deal with this, Dulcie dyed her hair in a manner partially inspired by May. She hopes people will remember her hair instead of her body and her accent.
Dulcie is a huge fan of May’s social media content. She’s also star struck, and a little intimidated, to be in the same school as May. She wants to introduce herself to May and her friends. However, she feels like she isn’t good enough for them.
Valentina
Valentina’s father is a Professor of Engineering and has recently received a position as a Lecturer at Hamlen College. Her mother is a writer, mainly historical fiction, but she has also written two books of non-fiction. Their relationship grew from a shared love of learning, especially languages.
Her parents nurtured a love of learning in Valentina. The family will learn a new language together and speak it at home until they are all comfortable with it. As a result, every member of Valentina’s family can converse in multiple languages.
Growing up, Valentina’s family moved from Mexico to Belgium before returning to North America. The family’s shared love of learning new languages helped them to settle in quickly where ever they lived.
Valentina is eager to start at her new school. She’s anticipating many new experiences and making many new friends. She also realizes that she will stand out, and likely be the subject of much curiosity. She knows she is probably the only amphibian in a community of mammals.
