Dear Host Family, My name is Helen and I come from a small city in Germany. I live there with my parents and my older brother. My mum, Sylvia, works as a medical technical assistant in a medical laboratory and my dad is a chemical engineer. I’m in the 10th grade at a comprehensive school. In addition to regular subjects, I have also taken technology and science classes, which along with art are my favorite subjects, because I can be creative in both. I love swimming and am also active in a swim club, the DLRG (German Lifesaving Association). In summer, I work as a lifeguard at a lake, participate in advanced training courses and help with children’s swimming classes. I started diving this year and got my diving license. For me the time with the DLRG provides a good balance to everyday life. In my free time, I also enjoy painting, being creative and spending time with my friends and family. I’m also interested in Formula 1 and cars in generally. I also love building Lego cars and already have a large collection of them. I like discovering new things and meeting new people, even if I’m a little shy. Once I feel comfortable with people, I really enjoy spending time with them. Generally, I’m a positive person, but like everyone else, I sometimes have days when I’m more reserved and prefer to be alone. At home, I take turns loading and unloading the dishwasher with my brother. I also help in the garden and keep my room tidy. Otherwise I don’t have fixed household chores and help whenever there’s something to do. I’m really nervous and excited about spending a year in America, but I’m also looking forward to it and hope to learn about the culture and their life. I hope that the time there, will help me to improve my English. I look forward to meeting you. Best wishes Helen