Dear future Host Family, At first, I want to thank you for taking part in the exchange programm, so that interested students have the opportunity to make the unique experience of a year in a foreign country. My name is Charlotte, I’m from Germany. I would describe myself as an extroverted person. I love being around people and spending time with my family (my parents, my older sister, my younger brother) and friends. It’s really important to me that I meet new people and learn something new about different cultures, because for me personally it’s a great enrichment. In my relationships with others I’m looking for good humor but also for honesty, a good heart and acceptance. I’m a Christian therefore I go to church once or twice a month and sometimes sing there. In school, I’m really interested in subjects like history, politics and religion. It’s fantastic to exchange your opinion with others because a good discussion is very interesting. Apart from German, I speak three other languages, which I learned in school: English, French and Italian. I also took part in the French and Italian exchange for one week, which really helped me to improve those languages. Team sports are also very fun to play. My favourite one is volleyball. Currently I’m playing in the school's team but I also play with my friends in my free time. If it’s possible, I would like to go on playing volleyball at my future school in the USA. Additionally, I also like doing sports on my own like doing workouts or going jogging. One thing, that I've been doing for a very long time now is playing the piano. I started playing it when I was five years old. I often play classical pieces with my piano teacher, but I also love to teach myself other songs that I like. On the weekend, I like spending time with my friends. We often go to the city centre, have sleepovers or cook/bake together, which I really admire. I’m also taking dancing classes (they are partner dances, for example waltz), which end with a big prom. Two years ago, I started babysitting. It taught me responsibility and the right way to deal with children. Currently, I am teaching German to a Ukrainian boy, which also fullfills me. My dad is a lawyer and my mom is a pediatrician. In general, I have a really close relationship to my parents, which is full of trust. I also maintain a good relationship to my sister (17) and my brother (13). So I’m very happy living in a loving household, which would be cool to find in my host family. I have two cats and I like animals in general, that’s why I’m vegetarian but I don’t have a problem with anyone eating meat. For me, it has always been one of my biggest dreams to do an exchange year in the USA. I’m really interested in the American school system, in how far it’s different to the German one and in the way students are learing there. Of course I’m also curious about how people are living there in general. I want to get to know the culture and the traditions because everyone “knows” the lifestyle from American movies. Actually, I have been to the US three times already, twice in Colorado in the Rocky Mountains and once at the east cost in New York. I made great experiences with the people I met there. Everyone was very friendly and communicative. The year abroad is such a perfect chance to create memories because for me that’s what really counts in life. Maybe the exchange is also an opportunity to represent Germany in some way. After having finished my exchange year in the USA, I'm planning on getting my highschool dimploma to be able to go to university. At the moment I’m really interested in studying economics, so maybe that’s what I will do. I also want to go travel and meet new people to expand my horizon. It’s my dream to have a family one day. I am looking forward to meeting you! Kind regards, Charlotte