Dear host family,

My name is Ricardo, and I live on an island in the south of Spain with my family, which includes my parents and my three brothers. My second brother loves playing football. My other two brothers are twins. I always enjoy playing with them because they are very funny. My father works a lot, but we both enjoy watching sports together, mainly basketball and football. Every weekend, we go to the stadium with my brothers. My mother is a lawyer and a university teacher, but she always spends the afternoons with us.

I also have two grandmothers who live very close to my house, so I’m used to seeing them at least once a week, which I really enjoy. Sometimes, I even sleep at their houses to spend more time with them.

When I’m at home, I enjoy playing video games, watching movies with my family, or playing board games together. As the oldest brother, I have some responsibilities at home, such as babysitting when my parents are out or helping my brothers with their homework whenever necessary. I also love food and trying new flavors. At home, we usually cook as a family, but sometimes, when we have time, we prefer to go to a restaurant with my cousins, uncles, aunts, or family friends.

I also like hanging out with my friends. We often go to a restaurant, visit someone’s house, play at the court, go to the beach to swim, or sometimes go fishing or just hang out and have fun together.

I play basketball for a club with some of my friends. Basketball is one of my main activities outside of school, and I try to work out almost every day. Even when I don’t have practice with my team, I go to a court near my house. In the United States, the basketball level in high school is very high, and playing this type of basketball is one of the main reasons I want to leave my home country and go abroad. Making the varsity team will be one of my main goals, as I’ll be playing against people who are older, bigger, and more skilled than I am. I believe that playing against people better than you is the best way to improve at anything.

During the pre-season and off-season, I still want to stay active in sports. I’d love to experience what an AAU circuit is like, and I’m also interested in trying sports that are not as popular in Spain, like baseball or American football, to have a more complete American experience.

Another reason I’m interested in going to the United States is the education system. Even though the education I receive in Spain is excellent, I would like to experience being a student in the U.S. and explore the different subjects they offer and the new perspectives I could gain from people who come from a place so far away from my home country. I’m also very interested in better understanding American culture, customs, habits, local and national holidays, and, of course, the daily family life and community spirit they have.

In the United States, my main goals will be to play basketball and try to make the high school team, improve my English skills, learn about American culture, and integrate into my host family as quickly as possible to make the most of this amazing opportunity.

When I return, I hope to be a more well-rounded person in every possible way, while preserving the friendships and bonds I’ve created with my family. I also look forward to having an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. thank you so much, for giving me this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Interested in hosting—whether 6-8 weeks or the entire school year?