Heidi Jacobsen 
Olivia Amazonia 

This Teen story delves into personal growth for teens. Olivia was sixteen years old and bored. Her parents were rich and boring, her father was a diamond dealer and her mother was a doctor in Sao Paulo, Brazil. But both her parents were so busy with their careers that they hardly noticed her anymore, except to tell her to brush her teeth, do her homework or come home early from her dates. They had failed to see how unhappy she had become. Her life was one big chore, with endless schoolwork, boring, immature boys and girlfriends that blabbed on about useless dramas they could not live without. Whenever she would suggest that her life was useless they would come up with suggestions to take up a new hobby, like horseback riding or swimming lessons…or worse yet, shopping.

Olivia took refuge in her room surrounded by her teddy bears, her computer and her cell phone. She was doing research on the changing environment of The Amazon. This intrigued her more than horses or boys or shopping or going to the beach. She longed to go there and see The Amazon for herself.