Dear future host family, Thank you so much for being willing to participate in the exchange program and for opening your home to me! My name is Jarit, I’m a 9th grade student from Germany, and I’m very excited to be part of this exchange experience. I love to try new things, explore the world and meet new people. I would describe myself as a friendly, helpful and open-minded person. At a first glance, I seem to be a little quiet – especially because of the language – but once I feel comfortable, I talk a lot, laugh, and enjoy spending time with others. In my relationships with others, I value respect, honesty and kindness. I always try to be open for new perspectives and to treat people the way I would like to be treated. These values are important to me, and I hope they will also help me to build a good relationship with you and your family. I’m really curious about your culture and everyday life in the U.S. I hope to learn a lot from you and your family. I’m a creative, ambitious, and outgoing person who has many interests and hobbies such as travel, going to the gym, baking, cooking, meet with friends, watch movies, and met new people. I live with my family – we are six people – in a big house in a small village. My mother Sabine is a primary school teacher. My father Jörn works with computers (to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what he does). I have an older sister named Lele who is doing a dual study program. We also have a cute cat. His name is Timmy and I love him really much! My paternal grandparents also live in our house and my maternal grandparents only a few minutes away in the same town. We’re a close family and I hope that I’ll also have a good connection with you. I love to try out a lot of different kinds of sports – except running. I’m not very good at it. In the past, I’ve tried tennis, archery, horseback riding and handball. Right now, I go to the gym to stay fit. I enjoyed being part of a team when I played handball (which is the most famous sport in Germany besides soccer), so I hope to join a sports team in the U.S. I’m open to get to know out new sports and activities. I believe I’ll make friends quickly because I’m very open. One of my goals is to become fluent in English. I would love to experience your daily life, learn more about American traditions – especially Halloween and Christmas – and maybe even attend a prom, if possible. It would also be amazing to travel with you and see more of the U.S., but if that’s not possible, I’ll still be very happy to experience your American life with you. I truly hope to become part of your family life I am looking forward to having conversations with you at the dinner table, spending time together, maybe joining some of your everyday activities, or even helping out in the house. School in Germany is not hard for me, and I usually get good grades. I’m very curious to learn about the American school system, because it’s so different from ours. In the future, I see myself graduating from a German high school and maybe doing a voluntary social year. After this I might work in a job where I can travel or work with people. I already know that I don’t want to do the same tasks every day or just sit at a desk. My grandparents, who live with us, sometimes tell me stories about their relatives who moved to America. They say it was an exciting and life-changing experience and that inspired me to take this step too. I want to build a “second life” for myself, make unforgettable memories, and grow as a person. I believe that I can have unforgettable memories with you and my new friends in America. I‘m excited to become a part of your family!! Thank you so much for making this experience possible! I will do my best to learn, grow, and bring a little piece of my culture with me. I can’t wait to become a part of your family and create amazing memories with you. See you soon! Jarit