Dear future host family, First of all I would like to thank you for making this big dream - do an exchange year - come true. It is really admirable that you give young people like me such a chance. My name is Milena and currently 15 years old . I am looking forward to experiencing the American high school and the American way of life. If you like , I can also show you some aspects of German culture. During my stay in the USA I would like to have new experiences, make new friends and of course find a wonderful host family that I would like to stay in contact with when I am back in Germany. The most important reason why I want to do an exchange year is that I love to see new things and meet new people. My home town where I have lived since I was born is Berlin and I love it! I live here in a house with my parents – my mom Inka and my dad Ercan- my younger sister Alessia and my younger brother Timur. My father is a doctor and my mother works in an office. Our rabbits Tommy, Tinka, Yuna and Mika also belong to our family . I have a really good relationship with everyone in my family and they support me in all things and projects like the exchange year, for which I am very grateful. I am currently in 10th grade of an highschool in Germany . I think there are many differences in the education systemI’m very excited to get to know yours! My favourite subjects are Biology and Sports. Maybe I can choose some interesting courses in your school, like astronomy, because we don’t have that in Germany . I love playing volleyball and I hope I can continue playing during the year I will be in your country. I also do gymnastics and in addition I am a coach for the younger kids (3 – 5 years old). At the moment I am doing kids-training in the afternoon and then my own training, so I am like warming up with the kids for my own gymnastic lesson :-). Also I have been playing the piano for the last two years and this school year I have been helping a 7th grade student with homework. With all these activities my week is always pretty full, but this is exactly my thing and I like it. It keeps me busy and I am enjoying it. During my exchange year I’m open to try out new tihngs. In my free time I love to spend time with my friends. We like to meet and chat, go shopping, swimming, bowling or to the cinema. I also love going out to eat, for example for brunch, in a cafe or in a restaurant for dinner. Sometimes I also like to eat fast food like fries or kebap. I also love music and I am a big fan of live concerts! This year I went to see Cro and Ayliva. Both are German songwriters, so maybe you don’t know them, but if you are interested I can introduceyou to some of their songs. Apart from these exciting things, my friends and I also just talk, hang out at each other´s houses, we cook, bake, play games or watch movies. I like romance and comedy films, and sometimes horror films too. During the Christmas season, my friends and I go ice-skating, visit the Christmas markets or we bake Christmas cookies. I would describe myself as an optimistic, outgoing and caring person. I always try to do my best and never give up. I am really looking forward to meeting you! Yours sincerely Milena