Dear host family, thank you so much for attempting this program and for accepting me to live with your family. I am a German girl, and I am currently in grade nine. My friends would probably describe me as a kind, compassionate, honest, loyal and open-minded person. With my parents I have travelled a lot and I always love to explore new countries and cultures. I also want to get to know the American culture better and I want to experience the American high school, because I have seen it in so many movies. In general, I want to try out new things during the exchange year. I have three really close friends, who I can tell everything to. We can have a lot of fun together, but we talk about serious topics, as well. I know that I can always rely on them, and we all support each other. My hobbies are horse riding and reading. I go horse riding once a week, but I don´t participate in any competitions, so I don´t train as hard. Reading has always been one of my biggest hobbies throughout my entire childhood. I mostly read romance or crime novels. In my free time I also love to bake or cook, so I sometimes make lunch, dinner or snacks for my family. I often do that together with my mom while talking about our days. I do not have siblings, but I have a close relationship with my parents and I hope to become a part of your family, as well. My parents work in a bank. My dad loves watching soccer and gardening. My mom likes to paint, photograph or go for walks. We often watch movies or play board games together. We have a cat, and her name is Laila. She is seven years old, and kind of like my best friend. I love all kind of animals, which is the reason why I am vegetarian, so I don't eat meat, fish or gelatin. Besides that, I'm not a picky eater and I am used to the people around me eating meat. I have been learning Spanish for about two years and English for about nine years now. During the exchange year I would like to improve my English skills. In the future I want to go to university and study medicine or psychology there. Both are really interesting and in my future job I want to help other people. I want to share the German culture with you by showing you how we celebrate festivals like Christmas or making German dishes for you. I am excited to become a part from your family and can´t wait to meet you! Warm Regards, Marlene