Dear Host family, I hope this letter finds you in healthy and cheerful spirits. My name is Florine, and I am writing to introduce myself as a potential member of your host family. I am from the Netherlands, and really excited about the possibility of joining your family and to experience the cultural exchange that hopefully comes with it. I would say I am an extroverted person, except when I’m meeting new people. When meeting new people, I am quite shy at the beginning, but once I’m comfortable around someone, I feel like I can start acting more myself. I recently started learning playing the piano, I am not very great at it, but i love playing the little notes that i have learned. Also I am a sporty girl who is not scared to try new things. Additionally, I would say I adapt very easily to changes, and overall, I’m pretty positive and open about everything. Another thing about me is that friends and family mean a lot to me. I love spending time with friends or family, because they make everything more enjoyable. I can’t explain how many lovely memories I have with my family and close friends. Some very close friends even feel like sisters, since I have shared so many positive and negative memories with them. Also doing sports is one of the stable things in my life. Which may sound sad, but it really isn’t. The memories and laughter I have, from the sports and the teams I have played in over the last couple of years, is unbelievable. In terms of personal interests, I find joy in activities. Currently I’m playing tennis and field hockey, which I really enjoy doing. The tennis team has been the same for about the last 6 years. The field hockey teams on the other hand, change every year. Most of those other activities I share with the people who are dear to me, in hope to create another funny memory together. Most of the time, when I hang out with my friends, we do something active like: painting, bowling, playing board games, swimming, baking etc. Besides enjoying time with friends, I also love spending time with my family which can consist of: watching a movie, playing board games, cooking, going to musea etc. So why am I going on exchange to the other side of the world? Is a question that I get asked frequently by family, friends and even school. So, what exactly is the reason? The reason is simply that I want to learn more about the American culture, and the differences between America and the Netherlands. Additionally, I want to see how different my life could have been if I was born in a different country. The best way to achieve this is by doing an exchange year (I think), because you can see the culture from the inside. Americans might not even realize if they do something typical American since they are used to it, but I might. Also going to an American school might give me the insights of the American school structure which can differ from schools in the Netherlands, this might result in seeing big culture differences. Most importantly I would really like for my host family and I to get along. So that we could make some memorable moments together. I also hope that we could maybe cook some basic American dishes together, do some fun activities and watching sport games together as a family and for me to learn more about your country. I am also looking forward at making new friends abroad and taking part in a new high school with different classes and subjects and taking part in a sport. Overall, I’m just really excited to start this exchange year. I hope that through this letter you could feel my genuine enthusiasm and interest. Warmest regards, Florine