Dear host family, First of all, I would like to thank you for making it possible for me to spend a year abroad with you. I'm looking forward to getting to know you, but first I would like to briefly introduce myself in this letter. My name is Matti and I come from Germany. I live with my family in in a medium-sized city. I'm in the 9th grade of a high school. In my free time I train table tennis five times a week and play football and piano. At the weekend I take part in table tennis or football competitions or meet up with friends. I am a creative and curious person. I am also very ambitious especially in sports like table tennis or football. I also think that I am reliable and mostly self-employed On a normal weekday, I get up around 6:30 a.m. and leave the house an hour later. Since my route to school is very short, I walk. For me, lessons usually start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 1:15 or 3:30 p.m. I'm usually at table tennis training from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. I have been in the table tennis club for 5 years. After training I go home, eat dinner and then do my homework. I live at home with my mother, my father, my older brother and my older sister. During the holidays we usually go on journey to the sea together, or in the winter to the mountains for winter sports. For example, we have been in Egypt on the Red Sea or in Austria in the Alps. My grandparents live in nearby. We visit them at Christmas, during the summer holidays or on some weekends. I would like to do my year abroad in the USA to improve my English and meet new friends. I also think it's the best way to learn more about American culture. I also want to know more about American history and its impact on today's world. I find the contrasts that your country has to offer geographically at least as exciting as the history of your country. Vibrant metropolises like New York, in contrast to the seemingly endless expanses of the country. The sea and the mountains and not forgetting the national parks and breathtaking landscapes. See you soon in America and Best Regards Matti