Dear Host Family,

My name is L. , I'm seventeen years old and I come from Italy. I'm curious, creative, and friendly. I love meeting people, learning new things and explore new places. I’ve always been fascinated by the United States and do the exchange year is my heart's desire since childhood. I can’t believe I’m finally writing this letter, I’m so excited to introduce myself and even more excited to meet you. I love the idea of experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, becoming part of a second family and I can’t wait to live in the USA as an American student!

In Italy I live with my parents and one brother. My family is very important to me. We are not perfect, and sometimes we bicker, but we love each other very much. I am infinitely grateful that my parents have given me the opportunity to spend a year abroad and have supported me in this choice from the beginning. We love traveling together, especially abroad, and every year we go on a ski trip during the holidays. In summer, we spend time at our beach house, because we all love the sun and the sea.

I love to learn new skills and my life is full of activities. I attend a classical high school, where I study subjects like Latin and Ancient Greek, and also I chose a special course in which I study some subjects in English. This school is challenging but I always try to do my best. 

Outside of school, I have many passions. I practice artistic gymnastics and I play the saxophone in the band of my city.
I'm also a member of Interact Club, the youth branch of Rotary. I also hope that in my new school, I will find a sport I can join, like cheerleading, and that there will be clubs where I can continue my passions and discover new interests. Another hobby is cooking.When I was little, I used to spend my afternoons at home with my aunt and grandmother and they teach me cooking we loved making classic and traditional Italian dishes, though sometimes we liked to experiment with something different. I can’t wait to discover American cuisine and also share a bit of Italian culinary culture!

On Saturdays, I usually spend time with my friends. We love hanging out together, and we often go out for dinner, watch movies at the cinema, go bowling, take walks around the city, or stay at home, have dinner, and watch a film. In the summer, I spend time with my friends whom I see every year when I go to my beach house. So, I hope that during my exchange year, I will make new friends as well since I am an outgoing person.

On a typical day, I wake up at 7:00 AM, get ready, and go to school (classes start at 7:55). Around 1:00 or 2:00 PM, I finish school and go home for lunch. I eat with my family, and then around 3:30 PM, I start studying and doing my homework. I usually study until 6:00 or 6:30 PM, and then I go to gymnastics (I train three times a week). After practice, I come home and have dinner around 9:00 PM. After dinner, I either finish my homework or relax in my own room. Around 10:30 or 11:00 PM, I go to bed.
From Monday to Friday, my days usually follow this routine. On Saturdays, I go to school in the morning, and in the evening, I spend time with my friends. On Sundays, I spend the day with my family, we have lunch at my grandparents' house, and I enjoy time with my cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I tried my best to introduce myself, and I hope I succeeded. I can’t wait to arrive in America and find a second family in you. My dream is to learn about a new culture and experience a different way of life. I know that spending a year away from my life in Italy will be challenging, but I’m sure I will overcome any difficulties and live an unforgettable experience that will always be a part of me.

Can’t wait to meet you! See you soon in the U.S.!

Best regards
L.

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