Dear Future Host Family, First, I would like to thank you for hosting me and giving me the opportunity to experience the U.S. in a way that I otherwise wouldn't be able to. My name is Carolina, but everyone calls me Caro. I live in Germany with my parents, Steffen and Christina, and my brother, Colin, who is four years older than me, and my sister, Clara, who is seven years younger than me. I would say we all have a pretty normal sibling relationship. Sure, sometimes we argue, but we can also have a lot of fun together. I also live with our three cats, Mavis, Rocky and Freddy, as well as our two rabbits, Hayley and Shaggy. My family and I love traveling together and exploring new cities and countries. Another thing we love to do together is play Mario Kart. We often play, but in the end, someone gets mad because he or she lost, while the others laugh. The loser has to keep playing until he or she wins. It’s quite funny to sit and watch, or of course, to win. I sometimes babysit Clara when my parents are away, as my brother is most likely away too. I love spending time with my sister. I play tennis, and I also do something called "Gardetanz." It's a traditional German dance performed between January and March during carnival season in Germany. I'd like to continue dancing in the U.S. even though my style isn't available there, but I'd also really like to try cheerleading since it's just so American and I'll never get the chance again. I also do horseback riding. I'm a little shy when I meet new people because I don't know how to act around them, but I'm not shy once I get to know them. It's kind of weird because I don't have a problem approaching people and talking to them when I know I won't see them again after talking to them. In new conversations, I just don't speak as much as I do with people I really know. I'm definitely working on that, and I think I've already improved. I would also say I am a spontaneous and open person. Another thing about me that might be interesting is that I’m not afraid to say my opinion. If I have a problem with anything, I will most likely say it. One thing I really like to do is go to amusement or theme parks and ride roller coasters. My family and I have been doing that since I was little, and I think roller coasters are really fun. As a matter of fact, I'm always the friend who laughs while my friends are most likely the ones screaming or being scared. I have a pretty good relationship with all my friends so I can always go to them and ask them for advice, and I can speak really open with them. By that I mean I don’t have to be embarrassed about anything and I am really grateful about that. They also know that they can always come to me if they have a problem, and I will always listen. I haven't always had such good friends and that's why it's even more important to me to treat my friends well and always listen to them and not exclude them or anything like that. As I said before, I love traveling and discovering new places and cultures. I think it is interesting how other people live and what they do different from me and the people I know. Because of thatI would like to do little trips even just to a city nearby or simply around the neighborhood. If this wouldn’t be possible that would be totally okay for me too. I hope to experience the real U.S. and for that I don’t think I would have to travel anywhere. What I also hope for is to make lifelong friends, but if not, that's okay too. I know that by the end of my exchange year, I will have made wonderful new memories that I will never forget and wouldn't trade for anything other in the world. Lastly, I wanted to share a few facts about myself so you can get to know me better. First, I am terrified of spiders. I'm better now, but as soon as I see a big spider, I'm gone. I love singing along to songs or doing karaoke, even if I’m terrible at it! I also have to admit I'm a bit of a Swiftie. I am not a morning person. I love romcoms, especially those from the late 2000s and my favorite movie is `10 things I hate about you´. I also love getting my nails done. I love jewelry and I always have to have my necklaces and especially my bracelets on. Without my jewelry I feel weird. My favorite dessert is tiramisu, and my favorite drink is Sprite but I don't really have a favorite food. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my letter. I’m really looking forward to meeting you! Kind regards, Caro