Setting: A modern café with a small table and three chairs. Maria and Liam are seated, sipping coffee. Sofia enters with her coffee.
SOFIA: Good morning, you two! Hope you’re enjoying the coffee.
MARIA: Good morning, Sofia! Yes, this place is great. I love finding little cafés like this in the city.
LIAM: (nods shyly) It’s nice. Very different from the cafés back home.
SOFIA: Ah, “back home”! That’s a perfect topic for today. We’re going to talk about our hometowns. Maria, you first. Where are you from?
MARIA: I’m from Mexico City. It’s a huge, vibrant place! Millions of people, never a dull moment.
LIAM: (eyes widen) Wow. Millions? My town only has… maybe five thousand people.
MARIA: Exactly! There’s always something to do: museums, concerts, incredible food. But sometimes… it can feel a bit anonymous. You don’t know many of your neighbors.
SOFIA: I understand that. Liam, what about your hometown?
LIAM: I’m from a small town called Green Valley. It’s in the countryside, surrounded by hills and a river. Everyone knows everyone.
MARIA: (intrigued) So, no big shopping malls or skyscrapers?
LIAM: (smiles) No. We have one main street, a general store, and a small library. But the air is clean, and at night, you can see all the stars. And people always help each other.
MARIA: That sounds peaceful. A bit too quiet for me, maybe. I think I’d get bored after a week!
LIAM: It’s not boring! We have local festivals, hiking, fishing. And my grandmother grows the best tomatoes you’ve ever tasted.
SOFIA: And both are important, right? Maria, what do you miss most about Mexico City when you’re away?
MARIA: The energy. The sound of the street, the smell of tacos cooking on every corner. The feeling that anything is possible.
LIAM: For me, it’s the quiet. And my grandmother’s tomatoes. And knowing that if my car breaks down, five people will stop to help.
SOFIA: So, both your hometowns offer something special. Maria, what do you think Liam’s town could teach your city?
MARIA: Maybe a little more connection. Knowing your neighbors. And fresh air!
SOFIA: Liam, what could your town learn from Maria’s city?
LIAM: Maybe more variety—restaurants, places to spend Saturday night.
SOFIA: Our hometowns shape us. Do you think you’ll ever live there again?
MARIA: I’m not sure. I love the opportunities here. But part of my heart is in Mexico City.
LIAM: I think I will, eventually. I miss the slower pace, the community.
SOFIA: That’s natural. Our hometowns are anchors—they stay with us. Thanks for sharing!