Dearest Host Family,

My name is Fleur and I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you something about myself before we meet. I am 17 years old and live in Belgium. I am someone who is helpful. At first I may seem shy but when I get to know you better, I feel then more comfortable to open up to others.

I have a little sister who is 3 years younger than me. We do a lot for each other and do a lot together. My sister and I love to go shopping in another nearby town. It is an activity I do a lot with my best friends. I love to spend time with friends and family. They are very important to me. School is important to me because it partly determines my future. I want to have a good job so I do my best to get good results. Every Friday I work after school at a local supermarket because I want to earn my own money.

I also watch and am interested in a lot of sports. The sport I watch together with my parents every weekend when there is a race is Formula One. I support Max Verstappen from Redbull Racing. The sports I also watch are American football (I follow the Ravens) and basketball (I support the Golden State Warriors).

When I was younger I did a lot of sports such as horse riding, gymnastics, sailing and skiing. Sailing is something I really like, also because I am good at it. I also like it because you can do it alone or with friends. It is very relaxing when you are on the water and the sun is shining in your face. Skiing has become a yearly family tradition. I also play golf with my family and friends. It is really relaxing and you don’t need to rush anything. You can enjoy nature and for a moment you can forget everything.

My family and I go on vacation to explore other cultures, food, places and just to see other parts of the world. This summer (2024) we went to Thailand. It is a really beautiful country. We visited a lot of towns and temples. We also went to climb a mountain and then went swimming in a pool at the top. The food there was delicious, especially the Pad Thai. This is my favorite Thai food. The food you can wake me for is sushi. Every time I get to choose the food we eat for my birthday, I choose that.

The expectations for my stay are that I can fully experience the American culture. I’m really excited to learn about your family routines, traditions, holiday experiences and daily activities. I look forward to learning about the community, food and environment and music. I also hope I can share aspects of my culture with you. I might tell you what our traditional foods and traditions are. I am already excited to tell you more about our ‘Antwerpse handjes’, Belgian fries, Belgian chocolate and so much more.

Of course, I hope my speaking and understanding of the English language will gradually improve. I really look forward to making new connections, spending time together and exploring new places.