Dear host family,

My name is Maria , I'm from Poland. First I'm going to talk a little bit about my family. I am an only child, and I have two loving parents we spend time with each other playing boardgames, watching films or do other fun activities. I have two cats and dog too, I'm very pet friendly person because my whole life I was surrounded by animals. My responsibilities at home are cooking because I really enjoy preparing food, vacuuming and washing the dishes. Me and my parents live in a house, in a small village .

Expect school I am participating in ice skating classes and hockey classes , for now I'm trying to get into a hockey club. When days starts getting warmer and ice rinks will be closed I'm going to go back to skateboarding which was hard to do at winter season. In primary school I was member of school's sport club. I was playing soccer, basketball, handball and running long distances . In high school I went on reading meetings, movie club and additional sports classes at school.

For long time of my life I took part in recitation competitions, for the most part there were different kind of poems or stories. However I gave up on it. I don't think hat there were really great point why I stopped, I liked it and I was good at it, but after few years I became fatigued. Then I started taking additional math classes and continued for 2 next years. Apart of classes I am interested in taking pictures, reading books, cooking, ice skating (like I said before), and playing the electric guitar

Since very begging of my life I was really active child, I was always with my friends running around , riding bikes, swimming in a river when days were hot and sunny, playing in games like tag or hide and seek, playing games like soccer or basketball with diy goal and many other things just to be outside. Cold winters wasn't a obstruction too because I was even more willing to go outside and play with snow or ice skating or frozen lakes. I think that it didn't change with time and I am always happy to spend time actively.

I am a person curious about the world, I like changes in my environment. I think that being an exchange student is a great opportunity to experience extraordinary moments, meet many people from all over the world, get to know about a new way of teaching in school and the most important of them all, get acquainted with American culture. Getting a host family is also a chance to get to know differences in family system. I think that exchange program make us understand that its nothing bad about differences in habits, worldview, or daily routine but its just consequences of differences in culture and historical past of countries.

Being an exchange student was my dream for few years but I didn't think that it was actually possible for me. I am really grateful that i can make my dreams come true . I don't have many expectation for my exchange year i just want to have good time .

Dear host family,

First of all, thank you for the hospitality in your home.

My name is Emma, ​​I'm 16 years old and I live in the centre of Italy, with my family. My mom’s name is Rita and my dad’s name is Stefano. We are 5 siblings, I have 2 older sisters, Federica and MariaSole, a younger sister, Margherita and I have an older brother, Giammarco. I’m also an aunt, my older sister has 3 children. I love spending time with them, almost every Sunday we all gather together for lunch since Federica and Giammarco don't live with us. At home it’s just me, my mom, my dad, the other two sisters and Otto, my dog.

I’m a very quiet girl, I love having fun with the people I love the most. I’m very tidy and I hate seeing my room messy, sharing it with my younger sister, who is very messy, I often tidy it up while listening to music. For me and my family, music is very important, we often organize karaoke nights, to have fun all together. I also took guitar lessons for 5 years, but I don't play it very often anymore.

I’m shy, sensitive and a bit touchy, I hope to improve a bit on this aspect during my experience in the USA. I’m very cheerful once I feel comfortable with the people around me.

Sport is very important in my life. For many years I did classical dance, but I didn’t feel happy.

After 7 years I finally convinced my mom to leave dance to sign up for competitive swimming. Now I swim twice a week, no competitively anymore. I practice also synchronized swimming, for 3 years now. It's a sport that I really like.

I love traveling, no matter the destination. I love the sea and sunbathing on the beach, but I like snow and skiing, even if it isn’t my favorite sport. I’m also fascinated by extreme sports like skydiving, but I’m not sure I’d the courage to do this.

I'm quite responsible, I often help with housework if asked, like doing laundry, setting table and walking the dog. I also babysit my grandchildren when my sister needs; I love children and I’d like to became a pediatrician someday.

I enjoy cooking, especially desserts, even though I actually prefer savory food. I love having fun with my friends, going shopping, to the cinema or staying home to play board games.

One of the main reasons that pushed me to leave is to learn English, but also to try to live a different life for a year, to have new experiences, meet new people and also try a school environment totally different from the Italian one, try to learn new traditions and experience some of the most iconic holidays in true American style. I am very excited to become a part of your family, I hope that together we can create many memorable memories, I am enthusiastic and anxious to leave, thank you for opening your home to me and for your welcome.

I hope it will be a year full of discoveries, new experiences and also cultural exchange.

So thank you very much for everything and for everything we will do together. I’m looking forward to the day of departure, I hope to meet you soon.

With much affection,

Emma

Dear host family,

My name is Pablo and I am 15 years old. I live with my parents and my two brothers in a litle town but near to the big city.

I consider myself a very sociable guy, I have a lot of friends and I like to get along with everyone.

I will tell you what a day in my life is like. One day in my life start early to go to the high school by bus. After the class, I return to my house to eat with my family. In the afternoon I go to practise soccer or tennis, and one day a week to english class. And also in the afternoons I study and do homework.

During my free time I like listen to music, play video games a love spend time with my friends.

Also, whenever I have the chance, I like to go horseback riding, skiing or surfing.

I usually travel with my parents and friends, and I have visited several countries in Europe. I love it!

Although I never had a pet, I love animals, and I would like to have a dog.

My favorite food are pasta, hamburgers, pizza, all kinds of bread... although I actually eat everything.

I’m super excited about the idea of spending a year in the United States. It’s been a dream of mine to experience the culture there firsthand, meet new people, and learn about their way of life. I think it would be an amazing opportunity to grow personally and make unforgettable memories. And of course learn the language well.

I’m also looking forward to sharing the culture of my country with my host family and getting to know them better. I can teach you some words or phrases, tell you about traditions or holidays, maybe cook a traditional meal, etc...

I am sure that this will a great experience for me and your family.

Finally, thank you very much for showing interest in my application.

I can´t wait to meet you in person and be part of your family.

Best regards,

Pablo

Dear Host Family,

My name is Aleksander. I am so excited to join your family during this exchange program and would like to tell you more about myself.

I live in a town in Poland with my parents and my older brother. My family is very important to me, and we are very close. We spend a lot of time together cooking meals, watching movies, or enjoying outdoor activities like walking or hiking. My parents are very supportive and always encourage me to pursue my passions and goals. My older brother and I get along well, and we often play games or help each other with schoolwork. Growing up in such a loving environment has taught me the value of kindness, respect, and teamwork.

At school, I am a dedicated and curious student. My favorite subjects are chemistry and IT because I love learning how things work and how I can use technology to solve problems or create something new. Chemistry fascinates me because it explains so much about the world around us, from how materials are made to how our bodies function. IT, on the other hand, is exciting because it is always changing and offers endless opportunities for creativity and innovation.

Outside of school, I have several hobbies that I am passionate about. One of them is diving. I enjoy exploring the underwater world, seeing marine life up close, and experiencing the peace that comes with being underwater. Another passion of mine is martial arts, which I have been practicing for several months. It has taught me discipline, self-control, and how to stay focused on my goals. These activities keep me active, challenge me to improve, and give me a sense of accomplishment.

I believe I am a positive and open-minded person who enjoys meeting new people and trying new things. I have always been curious about the world and different cultures, which is why I decided to apply for this exchange program. The idea of living in a new country, experiencing daily life in a different culture, and learning from others excites me. I chose the United States because it is a place with so much diversity and opportunity. I am looking forward to learning about American traditions, meeting new friends, and seeing how life is different from my own.

Being part of this program is not just about what I will learn; I also hope to bring something to your family and community. I would love to share my interests, like chemistry or martial arts, and maybe even teach you a bit about Polish culture or traditions. I think being part of your family will help me grow as a person, and I hope I can bring a positive attitude, curiosity, and enthusiasm to your home.

Thank you so much for opening your home to me and giving me the chance to be part of your family. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to meeting you and creating wonderful memories together. I believe this experience will be one of the most important in my life, and I am excited to start this adventure with you.

Best wishes,

Aleksander

Dear my future host family,

I´m Berta I'm 15 years old, and I'm so exited about the opportunity to become part of your family next year I can´t wait to meet you all, learn about your culture and share mine with you. I´m so intrigued of who are you and how do you look but this question only can answer the time

I´m a cheerful and curious girl who love learning, traveling, painting, and cars. I live in a small town and i go to a small highschool and thats the reason why I would like to go to a city. I would like to discover new places, meeting new people and to know about a different culture.

As i mentioned, I love paint, I pass four hours a week in painting lessons and it is my favorite way to express myself. Cars and airplanes are another of my passions, I love to learn about the different models and their mechanic, I also like run and go for a walk, it helps me to clear my mind and stay active and of course I love travel and know about a lots of cultures and traditions, another thing that I like is getting my make up on I think that is fun and I almost forgot that I love see fotball soccer, I´m a Real Madrid fan( the best club in the world) and also of Navas de Oro Luzco, the team of my town but they aren´t so good but I animated they in every match because my uncle works on the management team and my brother player as defensive midfielder.

I also like animals because my parents have a farm with a lot of sheep, in the farm are three dogs to defends the animals and they are so so big, they can kill me but they don´t do because I´m his favorite person in the world( i hope), I have also a lot of cats in the farm and they plays with the dogs, nieve the oldest one have little puppies and they are so so cute but my father gift the puppies to the mother of one of his workers,

I´m also good at adapting and independent girl. My father says that I´m autonomus since I was little bacause I undestand a lot of things by myself since I can talk, and because when I was a child I really hate skip class, my mother always tells that I was like my own boss because when I saw that my mother and my siblings are late for school I gone alone and so fast to be the firts of my class

To show my culture I can make some traditional recipes, my favorite are: bocadillo de calamares (madrid), gazpacho(andalucia), torrijas gallegas and buñuelos(they have an arabic origin but is Spanish also) , I can show the traditional dance of my region but I don´t like so much ( I like more bachata that is from Dominican Republic than traditionals Spanish jotas), and show the Spanish music that is varied and cool

Some of my friends and teachers says that I´m crazy and they ask me, why do I want to live so far away from your town but they don´t understand that being an exchange student is a dream come true for me because I think that this is an experience that can help me to grow as a person and this persons also says that I´m to young but I think that to learn I can´t be to young.

Best wishes,

Berta