Dear Host Family, In this letter I’d like to thank you for hosting me for a whole year. I know this is an important choice, and I am really happy to do an experience like this with you. I love to visit new places! I know this experience will be important for me and for my future life. I would also like to experience new cultures, to meet people from all over the world and to make strong friendships, but the first thing I would like to do is to get to know you well, building a strong relationship that will stay with us forever. I’m curious about you and hope you’ll be happy to discover who I am. Here in Italy, I have a big family: I am the youngest of three siblings, my mother’s name is Hasije (here they call her Asia), and the name of my father is Shefqet; they are both from Albania they migrated to Italy in 1998. I have a really strong relationship with them and I hope I will have the same with you. The oldest of my sisters is Marsela, she’s 26 and she studies at a nursing university and she works in the hospital, I don’t spend a lot of time with her, because she lives with her boyfriend Vincenzo. They are nice and I like spending time with them when possible. My older sister’s name is Adenisa, she’s 24, and she’s attending the last two years at the University of criminology, away from home. We usually meet twice a month, and I love her too. I also have a special relationship with my grandparents, Sabri and Fatima, and my mom’s grandmother, but they live in Albania and unfortunately, we see them only 1 or 2 times a year. I have a good relationship with my family, and I hope I will have the same with you, because I really believe that if we’re going to establish a strong relationship, based on trust and communication, we will live a fantastic year together and very few difficulties. I would like for you to be able to trust me and consider me part of your family. What are your family rules? Tell me about your habits and what you enjoy and please, be patient if it takes some time for me to get used to them. I hope having me will also be an enrichment to you all and that you will feel at ease and happy with me. I really like sports in particular I love soccer; I play it since I was 4 and I enjoy every moment of playing soccer. Sometimes I also play basketball with my friends and I’m a sporty boy. Even though I like sports, sometimes I am a little lazy and enjoy relaxing a bit. I really enjoy helping my mom cook too, especially cooking cakes. I like my school and I have good grades but I wonder what school will be like there. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences about your school years and to sharing the ones I will get to live with you. In regard to my personality, I think I am a reliable person, open‐minded and adaptable. My friends describe me as talkative and sociable, friendly and without prejudices. I’m also playful and I love to joke. I love listening to music and watching films. I recently started watching Marvel’s films in English to improve my understanding of English before leaving Italy. I love to spend time and to go out with friends: when I can, I go out with friends and we stay in the center of the town or we go to a friend’s home. I’d like to share my culture with you and I hope you’ll do the same with me: I would be more than happy to tell you how we spend Easter, Christmas and summer holidays! I am also very excited about learning about new holidays and traditions with you. In the USA I would like to grow as a person, find out about new cultures, and meet new people from all over the world. I would like to find a new home away from home and to be happy, as well as make you all happy for having me there. I really believe that this will be one of the most beautiful experiences of my life!! Thank you for making it happen. Sincerely, Lorenzo