Hello dear host family ! I am really looking forward to meeting you and being a part of your family ! My name is Apolline, I live near Paris in France. In my family, we are five, I have a sister, she is thirteen and a brother, he is ten years old so, I am the eldest. Currently, I am in high school. I study economics and social sciences, history, geopolitics and finally English contemporary world. In addition to my specialties I am learning English and Spanish! In june, I will pass my French exams. Since middle school I had been learning a little Mandarin but I gave up because it required a lot of time in addition to classes. I am a person who is really likes to make discoveries, that's why I like learning new languages : English, I went to Ireland in a host family with two little girls for two weeks to improve, I met some great people! but also I discovered another way of life for example they have dinner very early (at 6 p.m.!!) or even Spanish, I'm going to go for a week at the end of March to a host family with my class I also enjoy traveling with my family, for exemple I discovered lots of countries in Europe and also regions in France (from one region to another for example the expressions vary In Paris we say "pain au chocolat" and in the south it is "chocolatine" to designate a typical French pastry. I also practice different sports(especially in the mountains): -like horse riding (I really like animals!!) before I took lessons and now I do them in the summer in the mountains I also know how to ski very well, I go there every year! and sometimes with friends I took the opportunity to try the sled horse, it was very nice, the fat bike (it requires a lot of effort though) but also cross-country skiing (and I really liked it) however I wasn't very successful with the snowboard… this year with my exam at the end of the year I don't have much time anymore but before, he did the piano and drawing. In my free time, I often go to museums with my grandmother (and from time to time my cousin). I also go to Paris with friends to go shopping and eat at restaurants. English is important to me because I want to go to business school and it is very important to know how to speak English. I would like afterwards start my own business( last year with other students from my high school we created a start-up to sell personalized t-shirts, it was very enriching and it reinforced my idea of going to business school ) I would like to create my business either in the fashion field (clothing, jewelry or decorations). During the summer holidays I go DIY and I repair and renovate objects and furniture. During this year, I hope to be able to discover new activities (maybe one of your passions!!) I'd like to go to the United States to discover a new way of life (daily life and family life) but also a different way of teaching. But also to see with my own eyes the American way of life, because in France we're quite steeped in this culture, but is it really the same? Or your state of mind, which in France is perceived as simpler and more open-minded. For several years I had been thinking about doing a year abroad but not before the end of high school, but as I learned that it was possible to do it before then I didn't hesitate! Moreover, it is the last year where I have the opportunity to do this program (to go to an American high school) I thank you for the time you took to read me and I hope we have fun and memorable times together! Apolline