Dear host family, Thank you for welcoming me into your family and letting me experience the American lifestyle for 10 months. I'm from Germany and have long dreamed of spending a year abroad in America. I'm an open-minded, athletic, and optimistic girl who enjoys trying new things and learning new things. In addition to English at school, I've been learning Russian for four years. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, go shopping, reading different books, going on trips with my family, or playing board games. I also love playing the violin. I've been doing this for eight years now, and I'm hoping I can bring my violin with me so I don't forget how to play it in the next ten months. I've also been playing basketball for two years. Before that, I also did track and field for five years. What I especially like about basketball is that it's a team sport, and I've met many new friends through it. In the summer, I often meet up with friends; we go shopping in town, to concerts, or sometimes we just meet at home and, if it's particularly warm, go to the pool. Sometimes we even meet to play basketball together. I live in a small village with my mom, dad, my sister, who is three years younger than me, and my dog. We also have two rabbits and nine chickens in our garden. We live near a park where I like to walk with my dog or go jogging on my own. I love doing sports. In the summer, when the weather is nice, I often go cycling with my dad or we go hiking together as a family. I'm always open to new sports. This winter, we went skiing for the first time in a long time, and although it took me a while to get used to it again, I really enjoyed it. I also love baking and cooking, having helped my parents with this since I was little. I hope I can try out lots of new recipes with you, but of course, I'd also love to show you some typical German recipes. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you and hope we'll have a wonderful time together. I hope we'll experience unforgettable moments together, and I'm especially excited to become a part of your family. Warm Regards, Kaja