Dear future Host parents,
My name is Carlijn, and I am seventeen years old. I live with my parents, along with my younger brother, who is 15, and my younger sister, who is almost 12. Our family also have three dogs: Peppa, Buddy, and Tom and a cat named Sky. I love having so many pets around, and I know I will miss them a lot during the year I’ll be away. My father is a self-employed, while my mother keeps everything running smoothly at home. I also have a grandmother and a grandfather, they live three quarters of an hour away and I enjoy doing things with them, like going to an theme park or a restaurant, and visiting them when they are camping.
I am naturally curious and always eager to try new things. I like to stay busy, although sometimes this leads me to take on too much, which can make me feel overwhelmed. I’m also sociable and helpful, and I enjoy being around people. However, one of my weaknesses is that I am not always quick to stand up for myself, which is something I’m working on.
Every day I cycle to my school where I am doing HAVO, it takes me about half an hour and the bike ride helps me start my day off right. In my free time I love doing fun things with my friends like shopping, chatting and watching movies or tv series. I’m also really interested in creative activities like drawing or making things by hand. Another thing I love to do is reading on my e-reader. I can get totally absorbed in a book if it is a good story.
Even though I’m not currently involved in any sports, I do try to get to the gym, although I don’t always succeed. My favourite foods are vegetable soup and fries, and I also really like drinking milk. I like it to make the vegetable soup by myself I even make the meatballs myself. I like to bake and cooking anyway, sometimes I bake a cake or some cookies.
Besides my hobbies and school, I have two jobs one at a restaurant and one at a bakery. I enjoy both, but I especially like working at the restaurant because I get to do a variety of tasks, such as making drinks behind the bar or serving food, and I have great colleagues. The variety in the work keeps things fun and interesting. Sometimes I experience weird and funny things at my work at the restaurant like people who get mad about stupid things or the jokes I make with my colleagues.
Through this experience I hope to improve my English skills and I think it will also help me to grow personally. I also see this as an incredible experience that I will never forget and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do this.
