Dear Host Family,

Hi! My name is Qin Yi! I'm so excited to be writing to you! I'm 17 years old and currently in my final year in high school. I live with my parents, two sisters, and one younger brother. We hardly have family time together as everyone is busy with their daily work and routines. My dad works long hours in the market, my mom is a housewife, my sisters are in university, and my brother and I are still in school. Sunday is our only day off and the only time we get to spend together. Therefore, we usually go on outings, whether it's shopping or visiting close relatives. One thing is certain: we’ll definitely eat out, but it still depends on different days. I come from a middle class family. At home, I help my mom with cleaning the living room, washing dishes, folding clothes, taking care of my younger brother and anything else if she needs a hand with. However, these days I’m busy studying and constantly packed with hectic school schedules, since all Form 5 students (Grade 11) in Malaysia are preparing for the national university exam, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)!

I like exercising, painting, reading mythology stories and gaining new knowledge in life. I also love listening to music especially old Chinese and Cantonese songs, which never fail to make me feel nostalgic and relaxed! This may sound a little odd, but I grew up drawn to the charm of the old era! The simplicity of lifestyle, fashion, music and atmosphere. There's just something about the olden days that is so heartwarming. Perhaps that's how I earned the nickname 'old auntie in disguise' by the people around me! Other than that, I like to act. I practice acting during my free time, pretending I'm an actress! Actually, it was my dream to be an actress, but it feels almost impossible to achieve due to the high competition and lack of support financially and emotionally. Correspondingly, I love watching animations. I really want to visit the Disney studio one day!

I’m a shy and introverted person, so I tend to keep a small circle. I don’t have a fixed group of close friends at school, but I do get along well with my classmates and schoolmates. We joke around a lot and have fun during when we meet. Although I’m an introvert, I still enjoy making new friends and socializing with people to the fact that many don’t believe me when I say I’m an introvert! Maybe this is a sign I'm slowly overcoming one of my weakness. I used to be someone who hides in the corner and expect people to approach me. However, sometimes it's still overwhelming when I socialize too much in a day haha!

The city I live in is a mix of beautiful cultures and races, which makes it lively to live. Besides that, modern buildings are also built near traditional shops. It feels like living in both the past and present simultaneously. I'm thankful as my city still preserve the old buildings which hold a myriad of memories of the past. I can't wait to share with you our captivating cultures and traditions here!

I’m still figuring out what I want to pursue in the future. Right now, I’m exploring different interests and trying new things to discover what suits me best. Nonetheless, I'm currently not opting for the science fields. Science is very interesting, but it's just not my cup of tea. I do have some interest in the acting industry, as what I've mentioned previously. But I don't think I'll strive for it as my lifetime career.

Here's a little more about me! Firstly, this will be my first time in an English-speaking country. I'm super excited yet a little nervous! Besides that, I've never experience the four seasons. I'd like to experience winter as I want to escape the heat in Malaysia! Moreover, I apologize if I'm a rather sensitive and emotional person. I get moved easily. This is one of my weakness I'm striving to improve! I'm very sorry about this and I hope you don't mind! Correspondingly, I am a foodie but sadly I can't eat much because I get bloated very easily. I have no idea why even drinking a few sips of water may also make me feel full quickly, which is super annoying! However, this does not hold me back from trying authentic American cuisines! I'm looking forward to tasting new flavors!

From this exchange experience, this will be the greatest chance for me to learn and grow as a person as well as stepping out of my comfort zone. This is my first time and the first person in my family to travel so far. I'm also very ecstatic to share with you the beautiful cultures and traditions of my country! This experience will forever deepen my appreciation for different cultures and ways of life as well as shaping the way I view the world and myself. I hope I can meet you! Lots of loves from Malaysia!

Sincerely,
Qin Yi

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