Dear host family, I am very happy to write this letter and to introduce myself to you. I cannot wait to meet each of you, discover your culture, and be part of your daily life. I am very grateful to have the chance to stay with a family like yours, who opens their home to international students and helps them live their dream. My name is Emma, I am 16 years old, and I am a sociable, creative, joyful, motivated, and mature person. I am in high school in a technological program focused on applied arts. I study subjects that I really enjoy, such as art history, design, material technology, and physics and chemistry. My favorite subject is art history, because by learning the codes of architecture and art, you can understand so much about a building or an artwork just by looking at the elements that compose it. I am very serious with my homework and personal work, and sometimes I even put a bit too much pressure on myself. When I have difficulties in a subject, I always work harder to improve. What I like most about my school program is that every subject is connected to art in some way. Instead of just learning and repeating information, our evaluations are based on artistic topics, even in general classes like math, history, or physics. In life, I am an optimistic person who tries to stay positive when things are hard, even if I sometimes get stressed or emotional. I come from a blended family, because my parents separated when I was 7. On my mother’s side, I live with my stepfather Stephane and his three children (two boys and one girl) who are older than me. I consider them my brothers and sister. On my father’s side, it is just the two of us living together. With my family, I enjoy doing sports events, playing video games, or baking with my mother. The values that are most important to me are respect, humor, and trust. My biggest interests in life are dance, music, reading, and sports. I danced for 11 years in many styles like classical, modern jazz, dance hall, afro, and especially hip-hop, which is my favorite. Music is also very important to me: I love listening to it, discovering new artists, collecting vinyls and CDs, and going to concerts or festivals. I even have a small matching tattoo with my father of a vinyl, because music is something we share. I listen to music every day: in the bus, with friends, during work, or when I need motivation. I cannot spend a day without it. I also really love reading. I enjoy all kinds of books: novels, comics, manga, biographies, romance, and fantasy. And I love sports, whether I practice them alone or with others, watch matches, or learn more about their rules and history. Many people around me who studied abroad told me how much this experience changed them and helped them grow. This is one of my motivations. I want to open my mind, discover a new culture, improve my English, become more mature and independent, and learn a completely different way of life. I also feel that this year will help me take a break from my routine in France and challenge myself without my usual habits. I chose your country because I am very interested in the culture at home, at school, and in public life. Learning English will also be very important for my future. I am excited about your traditions, your celebrations, and your daily routines. Your school system also interests me a lot: having general classes in the morning and choosing more personal subjects in the afternoon seems very motivating. I also appreciate that school days do not start extremely early and do not end at 6 p.m. every day. During my first trip to the United States two years ago, when I stayed with a host family, I loved the kindness and generosity of the people I met. I believe that this experience will be positive not only for me, but also for you. Having me in your family for a year will bring energy, creativity, joy, motivation, and organization. My friends describe me as someone who brings sunshine into the room. I also hope to bring something to the school community: culture, positivity, good energy, and enthusiasm. In my current school, I organize many events, such as Secret Santa, flower sales for Valentine’s Day, and winter or end-of-year dances, to create a friendly and lively atmosphere. Thank you very much for reading my letter. Thank you in advance for your hospitality and generosity throughout this adventure that we will build together. I am extremely excited to meet you, share your daily life, and experience this year by your side. I hope I will meet your expectations and that you will appreciate me as much as I will appreciate you. Thank you for your welcome and your kindness. Emma