In a lot of ways, Sonia Sherbino is a typical 17 year old. Except, unlike most high school students, Sonia spent a month earlier this year living in a tent with her dad and brother.
"My feet would be really cold and the first night we slept in the tent it was freezing," she said.
The Sherbinos moved to Watertown earlier this year with no money and no place to stay.
Sonia's grandmother lives in housing for seniors. Although the family could eat dinner and shower there, they could not stay overnight.
So they set up camp in Watertown. The Sherbinos are uncomfortable saying where exactly, but they lived in the tent for a month until some people at Watertown High School helped the family find an apartment.
Now Sonia has her very own bedroom, and hanging on the wall, one of her proudest possessions - a story she wrote for her school newspaper about homelessness.
Another thing she's proud to have?
"When i got my keys, i went around to everybody and said look at my house keys! I was extremely excited," she said.
With Christmas fast approaching, family finances are still tight. Sonia's dad still hasn't been able to find work.
But Sonia is doing her best to bring some holiday cheer to her family's new apartment. Sonia says she has mixed feelings about Christmas.
"I know we won't get presents, but that's not really important to me," she said.
What is important to Sonia is having a place to call home.
