Dear American Parents,

I want to thank you for the opportunity you have given me to live with you in the United States. I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience for me and I am very excited. Thank you, really.

My name is Diego and I am fifteen years old. I live in a small town in the north of Spain. Some of my favorite activities are handball , which I have been practicing for eight years and I play as a right back in the Colindres team where I have won many medals in championships, martial arts, more specifically judo, which I practiced for seven years, earning a green belt, and all kinds of sports that have to do with water because I live near the beach and since I was little I have always loved swimming with my friends in the summer. In addition, whenever I could I have gone to the municipal swimming pool and I have signed up for surfing classes and I have also ridden a jet ski. I also really like animals, I have a pet rabbit called kiwi. I consider myself a happy, calm, fun and above all very adaptable person, I am always interested in the things that I like such as the culture in other countries and I like to make new friends, I love dinosaurs and my favorite toy has always been the Transformers. I like reading comics and listening to music. In summer I go to the beach a lot with my friends and we play soccer. I like video games that I usually play with my friends.

As for my family, my parents are from different places, so I have grandparents, uncles and cousins ​​divided both in the center and in the north of Spain.

I want to go with you for a year to improve a lot in the language, see the daily life of Americans and get to know the country's culture in depth like what do you eat there? What are the hours? What are the most important sports? What festivals are celebrated there and what origin do they have?. I also like to meet new people to get to know them better and to bring good things to my life.

I will also bring you culture from my own country such as food, customs, music. I will also tell you about the international festivals that we have in Spain such as San Fermín or the Descent of the Sella and also about the festivals of my town. And above all, I can speak to you in Spanish so that you know my native language.

I thank you if you welcome me in this experience of my life because I know that it can be difficult to welcome someone into your home without knowing much about them, so I hope that this letter is useful to you and I am looking forward to seeing you and talking to you and I send you a hug.

Diego.

Dear host family,

My name is Charles, I am 15 years old, and I was born in the south of France. Ever since I was little, I have dreamed of visiting the U.S. I love your culture, and cities like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles fascinate me with their unique energy.

I live with my mom, dad, and cat. My family is very important to me, even though we don’t all live together anymore. I have a brother and two sisters that don’t live at home anymore because of work, but we stay in touch. Christmas is my favorite time of the year because we all reunite, share meals, and catch up.

Even though I’m the youngest, I never feel left out. My family is supportive and encourages me in everything I do. They are also really excited about my exchange and can’t wait to hear all about it.

At school, I am a hardworking and curious student. I enjoy subjects like French, math, and English. I always do my best, and even when things get tough, I don’t give up. I also enjoy working in teams and helping everyone get along.

I love playing tennis and chess, but I also enjoy mountain biking. It helps me clear my mind and stay active. However, music is what matters the most to me it’s always there, no matter how I feel.

I spend a lot of time with my friends. We play video games, watch movies, or play tennis together. Being surrounded by fun and positive people is essential to me.

I would describe myself as friendly, open-minded, and independent. I love discovering new things, which is why this exchange is so important to me. The idea of stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing a different culture is something I truly look forward to. I can’t wait to experience daily life in the U.S., try new foods, attend an American high school, and see how different it is from my school in France. I also hope to share my own culture with you.

I am really excited to be part of a new family and experience a different way of life. Every family has its own habits, traditions, and daily routines, and I can’t wait to discover yours. I look forward to sharing moments with you, whether it’s during meals, activities, or simple conversations. I believe that the best way to understand a culture is to live it from the inside, and I’m more than ready for that.

I also want to get involved in school life as much as possible. I would love to try new activities, join a club or a sports team, and make new friends along the way. High school in the U.S. will be very different from what I know in France, and I can’t wait to experience it.

Finally, I just want to say how grateful I am for this opportunity. I know that hosting a student is a big responsibility, and I truly appreciate your kindness. I can’t wait to mmeet you, discover my new environment, and share amazing moments together.

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your home. I can’t wait for this adventure!

Dear host family,

I'm Enrique, I am 14 years old and I am also from Spain. I would like to thank you for this opportunity. I can't wait to meet you and show you things about me and my culture, including things I enjoy doing here. I also hope I can learn a lot about you, your culture and your country.

Some features that make me unique are how sensible and responsible I am, especially when facing problems. Also my curiosity and how I enjoy when learning new things. Other characteristics that make me special are how funny and cheerful I am, and how I turn bad situations into good ones (my parents say I have a special ability for that). They also would say I am a responsible and clever boy, who enjoys being with family and friends.

I will tell you a little more about my family: my mother is a very cheerful and affectionate woman, she works as a nurse and some of her hobbies are reading, cooking and watching TV shows; my father is a very hard-working and sensible man, he works as a telecommunications engineer and he enjoys watching lots of sports like soccer or basketball and reading; finally, my younger brother, who is studying 7th grade, loves playing basketball and solving Rubik's cubes, he is so much cheerful, lively and outgoing. I also have a pet, a beautiful cat called Mia.

Now, I am coursing 9th grade at a huge school that has a sports centre, a swimming pool, an enormous playground, a small church and an assembly hall. Some of my favourite subjects are Physical Education, Biology and Technology. At the moment I do not know with certainty what career I will choose in the future, I am sure it will be related to Biology or Technology, or maybe a mix of them!

I want to go to study to the USA because I think it will be a great personal and academic experience, where I can learn about other countries cultures, traditions and people. It won’t be new for me because I have already had an experience similar to this in the past, when I went to Oxford for one week, where I stayed with a local family, and I assisted to English lessons and I also went on tours through the city.

My everyday life is not so much busy, I go to school in the morning and in the afternoon, I train soccer or do homework. On weekends I usually have one or two soccer matches, I study and do my homework and then I hang out with my friends or visit my family. On my free time I play videogames, watch TV series or hang out with my friends who are very friendly and hilarious and make me have lot of fun. We usually go out to a park or a soccer field, to the cinema or bowling, while sometimes we meet to watch soccer.

I sometimes do some household chores too like removing my cat's waste from the litter box, keeping my room tidy, setting and clearing the table, taking the trash out, and sometimes doing the laundry. I still do not cook for myself, but I am starting to learn some easy dishes to cook if my mother is busy.

Greetings, and thank you again for giving me this opportunity,

Enrique

Dear host family,

Thank you very much for hosting in the program and for your time reading this letter. First of all I would like to introduce myself. My name is Marina and I’m just a 14 years old Spanish teenager. I’m more of an extrovert person and I tend to get along really well with nearly anyone. My friends and I spend a lot of time outdoors walking my dog, chatting or simply being together. I’m not a very competitive person at sports but I enjoy them. I’m currently in a baseball team and I also practice yoga.

I was born in a great family. My mother and my father have always shown me they loved me. They both work for the government as a nurse and as policeman in the Spanish National Police Corps. Even though I sometimes argue with my older brother who is also called Ivan I know he loves me just as much. He is seven years older than me but that’s something I like. I’m also fortunate for the friends I have. I belong to different groups and I feel comfortable in all of them. I have a nice big group of friends at my school, we meet every week and it’s always so much fun. We all live in different places and we have completely different personalities.

I’m studying first year of high school so in America I would be a sophomore next year. I’m proud to say that so far my grades have always been excellent. I don’t have a favorite subject but I like English and History the most. In the future I’m thinking about becoming either a lawyer or a psychiatrist. Every day I have some activities after school(arts, baseball, English, yoga and skiing in winter). I usually study an hour everyday, but a week before an exam, I study a lot more.

My week is always super busy. I have to get up really early to get to school on time. I live near two friends so we walk to our high school together. After school I meet up with my friend Daniela, and we go for a walk with our dogs. I have a dachshund who’s extremely lazy. Later on, I set the table while my mom heats up the food and we wait for my brother to arrive. My dad travels a lot because of his job so I only see him some weekends. Before going to my after school activities I tidy up my room. On weekends, if the weather allows to do so, my family and some family friends go skiing together. During weekends we visit my grandparents when we can or we stay at home and my friends and I go watch a movie or do some other activity.

I’ve been in foreign countries a couple of times. Last year I went to Egypt with my father and my grandparents and I really enjoyed the trip. I’ve also been in America in 2019. I spent ten days with my brothers host family. I’m really looking forward to visiting the USA and enjoying the country. I know this is a great opportunity. I’m sure the host family that chooses me and I are going to get along really well and we’ll both get to know another’s culture. I’m hoping to make some good memories and improve my English skills. Thanks for giving me this opportunity!

See you soon!

Marina

My name is Nacho, and I am very happy about the opportunity to live with you in the United States. I would like to tell you a little about myself, my interests, and what I hope to do during my time there. I am very excited about this experience.

I am an active person who loves sports and exercise. At home, I spend a lot of my free time working out or playing different sports. I enjoy sports like soccer, running and skiing. I also like to try new sports whenever I have the chance. One of my goals while I am in the United States is to continue exercising and try new sports, like American football. I have heard a lot about the excitement and energy of football games in the U.S. I would love to join a team or go to games to meet new people, make friends, and learn more about American sports.

I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Back home, we often have weekend reunions where we share meals, watch movies, or just relax outdoors. Spending time with family and friends is important to me, and I believe it helps create beautiful memories. Because of this, I would love to join you in your family’s traditions and activities. Whether it is to watch a game, having a barbecue, or just spending time at home, I look forward to being part of your family’s moments. 

I would also love to share my culture with you. I am from Spain, and I am very proud of my country and traditions and would love to teach you more about it. During this time, I will try to learn to cook better to prepare some typical Spanish dishes for you, so we can enjoy them together. I think it will be fun to share these meals with you and enjoy them together. I can also teach you some words in Spanish or explain our traditions. 

Another thing I am looking forward to is improving my English. I believe that living with you, talking every day, and being part of your activities will help me practice and become more confident in speaking. My English is not perfect, so please feel free to correct me if I make mistakes. I will be happy to learn and improve, and I appreciate your help. I think it will also be interesting to learn some words and expressions used in the US.

I understand that living in a new place can be difficult, but I promise to be respectful, helpful, and positive. I will do my best to adapt quickly. I will follow your family’s rules, and do everything I can to make sure I am a good guest. 

I am really looking forward to this experience and the opportunity to make great memories with you. Thank you for opening your home to me. I am very grateful for this chance. I hope we will have a wonderful time together, and I look forward to sharing many special moments with you!