Dear future host family, First of all, I would like to thank you for giving me the chance to introduce myself and for opening your home and life to a student from another country. I'm very grateful for having an opportunity to live in the United States for five months to experience everyday life with an American family and to share my own culture with you. My name is Joëlle and I am fifteen years old. I live together with my mom and my dad in a house in a beautiful city which is located in western Germany. I also have a brother who is seven years older than me and who is currently studying Business Management in Rome, Italy. Both of my parents are from Poland which means that I grew up bilingually. That's why I can speak Polish and German fluently and I'm looking forward speaking English fluently one day too :) I have a really good relationship with my family. I like spending time with my mom, talking about my day and future plans, watching movies together, going to the gym together or to bake something for the whole family. With my dad I enjoy going shopping, watching football games at a stadium or going skiing together. I also have a really good relationship with my brother, even with our age difference and the fact that he now lives in another country we get along really well. He has always been my best friend with whom I could talk about anything. As a family, we love to travel around the world and experience new cultures. This is one of the many reasons, why I would love to get to know your country and culture. I was taught to try new things and keep an open mind. I think that’s what really defines me, because I’m a very positive and outgoing person and I like to try new food, hobbys or get to know new people. I also have to admit that once I feel comfortable around new people, I can be a pretty loud and extroverted person who loves bringing good vibes and I hope that I can bring the same positive energy to your family as well. Friendship is also very important for me. I like to spend my free time with my friends, like going out for a walk,cooking something or just troll around. I believe that you don’t need to be in touch or see each other every day to be real friends. To me, the best friendships are the ones, where you don’t talk or meet for months, but when you finally do, it feels just like you just saw eachother yesterday. That’s also why I’m not afraid of my semester abroad. I’m actually optimistic about it. I think it will be nice to miss the people from my everyday life for a while and experience a completely new environment. I also have a bestfriend named Amelia. She lives more than seven hours away frome me in Munich, and the last time we saw eachother was four years ago. But we still stay in close contact, and I know I can always count on her, she listens to me and gives me great advice. One of the biggest parts of my life is dancing. I started dancing when I was three years old and since then it has become my biggest passion. In 2024 I joined a HipHop dance formation and went to several different championships, like the German Championship, where we got the second place or the European Championship where we were among the top twenty in Europe. I train several hours, three times a week, at my dance school. Over the years I have learned many different dance styles such as hip-hop, ballet, partner dances and contemporary. I would be very happy if I could continue dancing during my exchange year, maybe even join a school team, but I am also excited to try new sports and activities. I have been playing the piano since I was a little child . I started when I was eight and have been playing it for almost eight years now. Another hobby of mine is baking and cooking and I would be great to make something German or even something Polish for you, during my stay and at the same time i would love to learn your favorite family recipes. I love spending time with young children and I really like animals too. I'm a very religious person and my faith means a lot to me and I go to church every Sunday. During my stay I am interested in the opportunity to experience American traditions, such as Homecoming, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Chistmas and maybe even New Year's Eve too. I actually have a whole checklist of places I would love to visit like Target, Walmart, Chick-fil-A, and Crumbl Cookie! I can't wait to create lots of fun and unforgettable memories together with my Hostfamily and to build a strong connection with them. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my application and maybe I will soon be a part of your family. Best regards, Joëlle