Dear Host Family,

I hope this letter finds you very well. My name is Louis, and I live in a city located in the West of Germany. I live here with my Mum, my 11-year-old sister named Viola, a dog, and a cat. I am 15 years old and I am attending the 10th grade in a “high school”.

Moreover, I like to do sports, cook, and draw. I’ve been playing tennis for quite some time now and currently go to the gym. On the weekends, I often meet up with my friends, go to the gym, or simply study for upcoming tests. In Germany, we don’t have as many tests as you do in America, but we have much more complex ones, including material we’ve learned throughout the year. I’m a very extroverted and communicative person who likes to engage in various activities. I would like to experience as much as possible from your culture and country. As I mentioned before, I also enjoy cooking. Therefore, I’ve tried many dishes from all around the world. There aren’t many dishes I don’t like. Sadly, I’m only able to cook on weekends due to lack of time.

Our Mum tries to give us the opportunity to travel as much as possible so we can get to know other cultures. Last summer break, we went to Thailand, which was an amazing experience. During the Easter break, we’re actually visiting New York. I’m very excited about it because I have never been to the US before.

Living with pets has always been a significant part of my life due to my mum’s job as a vet. Since I was born, I have had a dog and a cat, so I’m used to them. Doing sports has always been a big part of my life. I swam for almost 8 years and have been playing tennis for almost 11 years. As I mentioned before, I like to meet up with friends on weekends. Normally, we meet in the evenings as a group of 7-16. Sometimes we go out to eat or simply gather at someone’s house to talk. For example, there is a tradition called “Karneval”. Everyone wears costumes and goes celebrating. “Karneval” is not celebrated in all parts of Germany, but especially in my region, it is well known.

The main reason for me wanting to spend a year abroad is to improve my language skills and to get used to the American way of life. I hope to be able to integrate myself into the school and make new friends. I have already done a 2-week trip to England to improve my language, and it was very useful, even though it was only for 2 weeks. Academically, I’m an A to B student. My favorite subjects are Politics, Art class, and English. Sadly, we don’t have the opportunity to choose as many subjects individually, so this is an aspect I’m very happy and excited about. I’m also excited about experiencing the typical “high school life” that European students have in mind, as presented through social media and films. It’s depicted very happily and varied.

Thank you for considering me as your future guest child from Germany. I have dreamed about visiting a High School since 6th grade. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon and I am thankful for the opportunity that you will host me.

Best regards,

Louis