Hello! My name is Matthew and I am a secondary four (grade 10) student, currently 15 years old. I was born and raised in Hong Kong and I have been here my whole life. My family consist of four family members, including: my dad, my mum, and my younger sister who is now 14 years old. I live with both my parents and my younger sister. My parents are not that kind of stereotypical Asian parents that only want me to focus on my academics in school. They have taught me to be independent and to be self-disciplined since I was just a kid. They encourage me to step out of my own comfort zone and try new things in life. I know that they love me and they have high expectations of me. I am very grateful for my parents as they are very supportive of my ideas and I love them very much!

My sister is now 14 years old and she is only one year younger than me. Perhaps that is the reason why she does not really treat me like an older brother, we are more like best friends. We talk about every detail in our life and we help each other and support one another.

Now let’s talk about myself. As a result of my parents’ education and upbringing, I am an independent teenager. I often help my mom with the housework whenever needed. Normally, I wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and set the table for dinner. I am an extrovert and I have a wonderful social life in Hong Kong with lots of friends that I hangout with. At present, I am studying at one of the top 50 secondary schools in Hong Kong, which is also why my schedule is always packed with school works and studying. School life in Hong Kong can be quite stressful as there are lots of homeworks and tests but I can manage them well as long as I set a timetable for myself.

I have many hobbies but I mainly play basketball in most of my free times. I love basketball and I am a huge fan of the Los Angles Lakers. I really appreciate the American education system. There is a lot more opportunities to study in the US and also more chances for me to explore my interests. I had been to a summer school in California when I was in primary school, the teachers and classmates had been very nice to me. That experience of studying in California strengthened my thought of studying in America, and which is why I am very determined to join this high school exchange program. I am very excited to broaden my horizons and to learn more about another culture outside of my own. I think that every one have their own interesting story to tell and I cannot wait to learn yours!

Thank you for reading my letter and I hope to see you soon. Take care!

Regards,

Matthew.