Dear Host family, at first thank you so much for being willing to participate in the exchange program and accepting me to live with your family. I’m really thankful that you help me make my dream to live in America for a school year possible and I’m seeing forward to meet and get to know you. My name is Nieke. I’m a German girl and I like to try something new as well as getting to know new cultures and countries including the USA. I’m a really creative person in my free time I love to play or listen to music. I’m currently learning the piano since about 4 years and I play two different types of the recorder since elementary school. As I already mentioned I do also like to listen to music. I listen to almost every type but I love Taylor Swift, Zack Bryan and Olivia Rodrigo for example. Listening and doing music makes me a really balanced person that’s why I would love to join the school orchestra if there is the possibility but I do also understand if not because I would love to try something new and to join school clubs as well. Another thing I spend my free time with is drawing with colored pencils, acrylic, watercolors and so on. In the evenings I do also enjoy to read, German books as well as English books. If I’m too tired to read I will watch YouTube or shows and movies on Netflix. One of my favorite shows is Gilmore girls. I like to dance as well. I was in a dance club for ten years and still dance a lot at home. It makes me happy to help people. I help as a volunteer by taking care of new candidates for confirmation and in fall break I’m going to help five days at a kids camp with kids between the age of 8 and 12 years. I would also say that I’m a really people friendly person I spend lots of time with my friends and family. Here are some examples for activities we do together: having movie and board game nights, having sleepovers, dance together, sing karaoke, going bowling, cooking and baking together and playing mini golf. What activities do you enjoy? I’m open to try anything new and exited to spend some nice time with you:) Besides my parents I have an older brother who is 22 years old and doesn’t live far away so I see him quite often especially at our weekly Friday dinner at our grandparents house, which is always so delicious. I may show you some of her popular receipts and we have a cooking night together. What’s your favorite meal in your family? I have a good relationship with my parents and we are a close family. I hope to become a part of your family as well. My parents and I spend the summer together while visiting the USA. We have always so much fun at our vacations and I really enjoy spending time with them. It was my first time there and I was impressed by all the nature we saw in the different national parks, the architecture and all the different people. Why did I choose to go to the USA? I want to spend a schoolyear abroad in the USA because I want to improve my English skills to have the opportunity to work in a international job later in my life as well as getting to know the school system, culture, traditions and people who live in the USA. After have got a small insight of the USA in summer my wish got even bigger. I have already visited some countries like Italy with my parents and also travelled without them to France for 10 days as an exchange from my school. Even though I have got some impressions of the countries the time was not enough to really get to know the culture, people and traditions. That’s why I think living a complete school year abroad would give me the opportunity. I would also like to show you some German traditions for example traditions on holidays and some typical German songs or movies. Do you already know one? In school my favorite subjects are art, music, biologie and languages. Besides English and German I can speak some French as well. I’m looking forward to get to know you and have an amazing time with you with many new memories and experiences. Warm regard’s Nieke :)