Maria Sunshine thinks she is perceived as a cool, smart, well-dressed young woman. And maybe she is. But is not definitely what defines her.
She was born in San Francisco, California in 1988, but nowadays lives in Mexico City. She's daughter of two latin immigrants. Not illegal immigrants, but Berkeley professors. Chemistry professors. Her parents are as dorky as one can imagine; brilliant, as one can imagine.
Everybody in her family believes she's a bit shallow -particularly her parents-, and should end up as a stylist or something like that. They've already gave up on her. She's not going to be a chemist. She loves buying clothes, accessories and all this stuff women like. But she likes even more than the rest!
She studied college like many other americans are seen outside USA: Only they know what did they study.
At 24, she went to Mexico "following" and old boyfriend but it was her way to escape the family pressure. But she has a secret: Maria certainly doesn't want to be a chemist. But she also doesn't want to be a stylist! In fact, that sounds as absurd to her, as thinking of her as an astrophysicist for her parents. Yes, she has this kind-of-cute feminine vanity most man like -even if they say they don't-. She walks gracefully the same with jeans and flats, the same with high heels and a spring floral skirt. And she can spend almost all her salary buying clothes, but that's just a hobby for her, another escape.
She's afraid of coming clean with her parents because she strongly believes they wouldn't understand. They are chemists! But saddly, she underestimates them.
While pursuing her dream (whatever this is), Maria lives with a bounch of people in a small apartment located in Mexico City's downtown. She's a fair-skinned, 5'8" brunette mexican american woman, meaning, for mexican standards, she's a bit tall, a bit different, a bit international. This allows Maria to get jobs almost without looking for them. Jobs Maria doesn't really like -such being a model in a bridal shop or being a host at a fancy restaurant-.
Certainly Maria's last name is not Sunshine but she like this kind of incognito life she thinks she has. Of course, this is just a week facade, once you know her, she seems so sweet it doesn't matter if she wants to be called Egg, sweet bird or Juan. Never the less, she loves the way most people in mexico doesn't ask questions about her name, her parents or her previous life.
Maria believes in all this corny things women believe before 30. But as chemists' daughter she has a strong sense of responsability and logic. She wants to believe in true love and fairy tales (she loves sci-fi, by the way), but she also knows that's almost impossible. She would like her family to give her some credit, and expect a little more of her, instead of a little less.
She studies Spanish by watching telenovelas, a comedic entertainment for her, the best way to laugh if sad and alone is to watch this over-acted and exaggerated scenes with the same cinderella story every time.
Beside her secrets, Maria is well known as a good friend, sociable, reliable but a little crazy, and a little odd for her closest friends. She loves helping her student roomates finishing essays, answering questions and doing some brain-storming when needed. And they repay her by brining her "esquimales", this frozen vanilla lollypops covered with chocolate and pecans. She is a smart girl disguised by her looks as someone else. Her biggest flaw could turn into her biggest perk: She doesn't trust anybody, so she's never able to talk about her real existential issues or purposes in life.
Maria is looking for something else in life. She knows it's not the american average dream she's running from, she knows it's not being a face or a chemist... I she only knew. And she so vulnerable.
