Ondrej Benes was born in Prague in October of 1995. He was educated in England and Prague. Schools he attended include St Thomas’ Primary School, the English International School, and Tyrsova Primary School. He likes volleyball, jokes, and his favourite foods are potato salad and schnitzel. He plans on becoming a professional volleyball player one day. The thing he likes best about the Ancient Geeks is being together.

Rachel Davis was born on the 9th of October, 1995, in Podoli, which is in the Czech Republic. Now she lives in a small village called Kunratice on the outskirts of Prague and also goes to school there. Rachel loves to talk, talk, and talk. She also enjoys drawing, snowboarding, reading, and swimming. Her favourite food is Chinese. She loves her family most of all, and also her two chubby cats and her two dogs. When Rachel grows up, she wants to be a fashion designer. What she likes best about the Ancient Geeks is the fun.

Grace Mitchell was born in 1993 in England. In 2004 she moved to Prague and now attends the British International School. She loves dogs, cats, and socks. Her hobbies are gymnastics, swimming, and making Lego ® models. She has a pet sock called Tiki. Grace likes to draw and write and hopes to be either a writer or a singer when she is older. She loves the Ancient Geeks because she likes to show her writing to others. (Don’t ask me why she’s obsessed with socks!)

Chris Newton was born in Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), in the mid 1960s. Chris has lived in Africa most of his life. Brought up in Cape Town, Chris studied computer programming, and is now married with two children. Chris is a keen sportsman and regularly participates in a number of sports. He and his family lived in the UK for five years before moving to the Czech Republic, where he is experiencing the expat life of Prague. What Chris likes most about the Ancient Geeks is the name; it is a cause of puzzlement amongst those who happen to hear or read it, and a great conversation starter, and it’s highly original and great fun, like the Geeks themselves!

Daniel Newton was born in Berkshire in 1996 and attends the English International School of Prague. He has lived in South Africa, England, and now the Czech Republic. He loves ice hockey, and enjoys football as well. Writing, reading and computers, plus the difficult game of Trading Pokemon - which usually occurs at school break times - keep Daniel busy! In fact, he’s so keen on Pokemon he’d like to become a maker of Pokemon cards when he grows up. The Ancient Geeks creative writing club is the first writing course Daniel has attended, but he has previously enjoyed success in children’s writing competitions. For Daniel, the writing is the best thing about being in the Ancient Geeks.

Lilly Persina was born in Moscow in September 1995, but moved to the Czech Republic in the first few months of her life. She attends the English International School of Prague. Lilly is the newest member of the Ancient Geeks, but fitted right in immediately and really enjoys the club. She also loves to play football, and writes poetry whenever she has a spare moment. When she grows up, Lilly thinks she might want to be a poetess. She loves the Ancient Geeks because it’s fun to work in such a great group.

Clare Wigfall was born in Greenwich, London in the summer of 1976, but spent her early childhood in Berkeley, California before returning to the UK aged eight. She holds a Masters’ degree in creative writing from the University of East Anglia where she studied under the poet laureate Andrew Motion and was awarded the Curtis Brown scholarship. She is currently completing a collection of short stories for the British publishers Faber and Faber. Clare likes visiting new places and meeting new people, as well as drawing, face painting, and going out with her dog Monkey. She loves the Ancient Geeks because they make her laugh and amaze her each week with their writing.

Michaela Žaloudková was born in 1991 in Prague. She has lived in the USA for five years, in Colorado and Florida. She goes to the Gymnazium Jaroslava Sieferta. Her hobbies are: reading, swimming, volleyball, basketball, writing, and talking on the phone with her best friend. She loves her family, cheese, and potato salad. There are so many things Michaela is interested in that she isn’t quite sure yet what she wants to do when she’s older, but she loves the movies so thinks maybe she’ll become a film director or an animator. Being with the Ancient Geeks is one of the highlights of Michaela’s week because it’s about the only opportunity she now has speak English.