Dear host family,

I am very excited and thankful for you giving me the opportunity to spend a school year in the United States as an exchange student! I would like to take this chance to introduce myself and share with you why this experience is so important to me.

My name is Olivia and I come from Germany. My family situation is a little different as my parents are separated. I live two weeks alternately with my mother and father, and I have two brothers - one is 21 years old and the other is 10. We all have a close relationship and I get along well especially with my older brother and my younger cousins. I also have a good relationship with the rest of my family.

I am currently in the 11th grade. My major subjects are Art and English, both of which I am very passionate about. I love expressing myself through art and enjoy improving my English skills which I hope to further develop during my time in the U.S.

As for my friends, I have a close-knit group of five people and we get along really well. Their names are Thalea, Leonie, Len, and Bennt, and my best friend is Melinda. Melinda and I have been friends for two years now and I truly value our friendship. She is someone I can talk to about anything and she always listens and gives great advice. I even get along well with her family what I enjoy. And lately, I got a new good friend on a cruiseship, her name is Greta. Also I have got friends in school and at my volleyball training. I am very grateful to have such a supportive group of friends and hope to build similar friendships during my time abroad. Both of my parents support my decision to do a year abroad.

My father is especially enthusiastic about it while my mother is also happy for me but feels sad that she won’t see me for a year. However, they both believe this experience will be valuable for me.

One of the main reasons I want to do a year abroad is that I want to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone. Living in a new country, adapting to a different culture, and learning from people with diverse perspectives will help me grow as a person. I believe that these experiences will make me more independent and open-minded, and they will also help me in the future, enabeling me to mediate between people and nations.

I think my strongest character traits are that I am a good listener, open to new experiences, and always try to maintain a positive outlook. These qualities will help me adapt to my new environment and make the most of my time abroad.

During my year in the U.S., I would like to achieve good grades and make many friends with whom I can stay in contact even after the exchange year has ended. I am looking forward to living with you, getting to know you, experiencing life in a new culture and gaining new perspectives.

Thank you so much! Sincerely,

Olivia

Dear future host family.

Hello, my name is Daniela and I'm 14 years old. I was born on April 9, 2010 and in the EEUU, I will do my sophomore year (10th grade).

I live in a small city in the north of Spain, which is known for being very cold, called Burgos.

First of all I'd like to thank you for hosting an exchange student and hope that you'll consider me to become part of your family for a while.

My family consists of my mother, my father, and my little sister. Luckily, we all get along really well, and there are no family issues. We spend a lot of time together. They believe, just like I do, that going on this exchange program will help me mature, learn new things, and enjoy the experience. But at the same time, they’re scared, which is totally normal. I also get along great with all my friends, and I truly appreciate each one of them.

My family and I have decided to start this program so I can go to the United States for a period of time. I’ve been waiting a long time for this opportunity, and I’m very grateful to my parents for giving it to me. I want to do this for many reasons: to mature as a person and become more independent, to learn and achieve a great level of English, to enjoy myself, meet new people, and because I’m sure it’s going to be an unforgettable experience.

I consider myself to be a very polite person. I don’t like when people are disrespected, and I’m empathetic. I’m also very clean, and a bit careful. If you ask someone about me, they’d say I’m kind, generous, and outgoing. I also love meeting new people, so I’m quite talkative. And on top of all that, I can easily adapt to any situation or environment I find myself in.

What I love most in this world is dancing; it’s my passion. I’ve been dancing ballet and Spanish dance since I was very young. Another thing I’m passionate about is traveling. I love it because it allows me to discover new places. I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, watching movies and series. Shopping is something I adore as well, and I have a good sense of fashion. I like trying new things and playing sports. I have a great time spending moments with the people I love and hanging out with my friends. I also love going to concerts, swimming pools, and amusement parks, even though it’s not always possible.

I hope I could give you a little insight of my life, and I'm already very excited and happy to finally get to know you!

Thank you for reading this letter.

Yours sincerely, Daniela.

Dear Host Family,

First, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Supasinee Koondee, but you can call me Ket or Kettie, and I’m from Thailand. I’m 16 years old and currently in grade 11. I’m open-minded, flexible, and nonjudgmental. I feel incredibly grateful for the chance to experience life in the U.S. and to become a part of your family.

There are around 12 people in my extended family, but I live with my mom in Bangkok, while my grandparents, aunts, and uncles live in Ubon Ratchathani, my hometown. My parents divorced when I was young, so I have been raised by my mom, who has always supported my interests and passions. Although we don’t all live together, we meet up and spend time together during vacations or festivals. I used to study in Bangkok, living with my mom, but recently I moved to Ubon Ratchathani, where I stay in my school’s dormitory. When I first heard about my opportunity to study abroad, I felt so excited and couldn’t wait to go! My mom was a bit worried about how I’d adapt, but I assured her I would take care of myself.

As for friendships, I have a few close friends who get along with me well. They’re truly kind and always care about me.

In my free time, I enjoy reading books about psychology and human behavior. I also like listening to music and watching movies, but I spend most of my time studying, as I’m very dedicated to my studies. Still, I’m excited to try new activities! My favorite color is baby blue, and I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. I love collecting Harry Potter books and memorabilia, and I hope to visit Alnwick Castle in England and the Harry Potter Studio Tour someday. I recently started learning to play the guitar, and I’m interested in trying new things and exploring life in the U.S. My top three strengths are kind, ambitious, and empathetic.

I hope to learn a lot from this experience and create wonderful memories with others. I’m looking forward to learning more about American culture and improving my language and life skills—like adapting to new environments, people, foods, and perspectives. Going to the U.S. has been a dream of mine since I was young because I want to see the new world. I find American education fascinating, and I hope to participate in school activities because they seem so fun. I also have a goal to study at a university in the U.S. one day.

Lastly, thank you so much for welcoming me into your home. I already feel lucky to have this opportunity, and I look forward to meeting you soon!

Best regards,

Supasinee Koondee (Ket)

Dear Host Family,

My name is Kultida, but you can call me Nam. I am very excited to be staying with your family during my visit to the United States. I am 17 years old and currently studying at Dara Academy. I am truly delighted to be part of this exchange program, as it gives me a wonderful opportunity to improve myself, especially in learning and practicing English, and to experience life in a new culture.

One of the reasons I was drawn to this program is my passion for gaining new experiences. I plan to try activities I have never done before and share my culture with your family. At the same time, I look forward to bringing back what I learn from this experience to share with my family and friends in Thailand.

I live with my parents, who are very supportive and proud of me for taking this opportunity to study abroad. As the only child, I have a very close bond with them. We share everything and truly understand one another, and I hope to share this warm connection with your family as well.

In terms of personality, I would describe myself as straightforward and friendly. I am warm-hearted and always happy to help others, especially when someone asks for my assistance. I enjoy doing household chores such as washing dishes, sweeping, and mopping floors. I also love dogs! We have two dogs at home, and they are like part of the family.

I have a few close friends who are also joining this exchange program. We often talk about how we can bring these new experiences back to share with everyone back home. I hope to make many new friends, meet people from different backgrounds, and learn as much as I can during my time with you.

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your home. I look forward to meeting you and spending time together. Please let me know if there is anything I should prepare or bring for my stay.

Best regards,

Kultida (Nam)

Hello, my name is Natipoom Yapira, but you can call me Poom. The reason I want to join this program is because I see it as an opportunity to improve my language skills, which I can apply in my future work or when traveling. I also want to learn about different cultures. I think going on an exchange program will be a great experience for me, allowing me to live in a new place and try activities that are not available in Thailand. Studying abroad is my dream. I watched a high school movie once, and I loved the atmosphere.

I was born and raised in Chiang Mai. I grew up in a fairly large family with many relatives. There are three people in my immediate household; my father, mother, and me. I am very close to my parents and relatives because, on weekends, we all gather at my grandparents' house. For birthdays, we have small parties at my house.

At school, I enjoy participating in various activities, such as sports day. I am a cheerleader and also a class leader. I have close friends in my class, and we often invite each other to do activities or help one another. My parents were initially concerned about me living far from home, but they understood that this would be a new experience for me, allowing me to engage in new activities and improve my language skills.

The friend I’m closest to is not only someone from my class but also a friend from my old school, with whom I’ve shared a bond for almost 10 years. We’ve been through many experiences together, both good and bad, and we always support and help each other.

My strengths include being open to new things because I believe trying new things helps us gain valuable experiences. I also value humility and respect for others, as I think being humble allows people to appreciate you. Most importantly, I value being myself. I enjoy putting on makeup and dressing up because I see it as adding color to life and embracing new experiences.

Last but not the least, I look forward to getting to know you, my wonderful host family in America. I’m ready to embrace new cultures while sharing my own.

Best regards,

Natipoom Yapira