Dear Host Family, My name is Masha, and I am an outgoing and kind girl. I really like adventures and learning something new; these are the reasons why I want to go on an exchange. I also love meeting new people. I live with my family in Russia. I love my country, but I want to try something new and different in my life. I am ready for changes. At first, I want to say thank you for giving me this opportunity to live with you and be a part of your family. I truly appreciate the chance to study and live in the U.S. for a year. If it wasn't for you, I would never get this opportunity. I was born in Russia, and I live there. My family is big: my mother, Natasha, and my dad, Maxim. I also have a little sister, Dasha. We have pets too: two dogs, a spider, and two guinea pigs. Oh, I love my pets! My family and I have really good relationships. We love spending time together, and we understand and hear each other. My mom works as a landscaping engineer, and my dad runs his own business. In my free time, I enjoy doing different activities, such as cooking, watching movies, drawing, going out, and many others. But my favorite thing to do is hanging out with my friends and family. We love going to various interesting places. Sometimes I even work out with my sister. During summer, my friends and I love hanging out a lot. We go to the cinema; we swim and sunbathe together, and we also love organizing picnics. My family loves traveling, so I travel with them to different countries, for example, Egypt, Turkey, and so on. In winter, we travel around Russia. Our favorite cities are Yaroslavl, Saint Petersburg, and Vladimir. My typical day in Russia: I get up at 6:30 AM, go to the bathroom, and get ready for school. After I put on my makeup and school clothes, I go to the kitchen and make breakfast before I leave. My mom always drives me to school at 7:40 AM; lessons start at 8:10 AM. After school, I have tutors for several hours, and afterward, I can rest by doing what I want, for example, drawing or going out with friends. I am in 10th grade. I study in a state school in my city. My favorite subjects are English, French, and History. Learning languages is very important nowadays, and I really enjoy doing it. History is also my favorite subject; I find it interesting and sometimes shocking, but history helps me to understand the world better. Being an exchange student has been one of my biggest dreams since 5th grade. Back then, I thought that an exchange was just an exciting experience, but now I understand what an exchange is really about. I will improve my English to a higher level, and I will get a chance to learn more about American culture and to teach local people something about my culture. I think that the USA will be the perfect destination for me because this country has so many different people and beautiful nature. Things that I hope to achieve during my exchange year are to improve my English skills, find new friends, and become a part of American society. Once again, thank you very, very much for making my dream come true. I can’t wait to get to know you and become a part of your family. Masha