Dear host family,

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my letter. First of all, I want to thank families like yours for opening your homes and giving students like me the opportunity to live such an amazing experience.

My name is Diego. I am now 15 years old and will turn 16 when I arrive. I live with my family in a large city in central Spain. There are five of us in my family: my parents and my two brothers. I am the middle child. We get along very well, although sometimes we argue, like all siblings, but we always look out for each other and support each other. My parents are in their forties and both work. In the afternoons and evenings, they take us to different activities, such as soccer or tennis, and then pick us up. My mother's family lives on an island, which is a little far from the mainland, and we visit them two or three times a year. My father's family lives nearby and we often get together for big family meals. It's a large family: there are about thirty of us when we all get together!

When my parents offered me the opportunity to live in the United States for a year, I felt both excited and nervous. My older brother had already lived there and told me wonderful things about his experience, so I immediately wanted to go too. I am not only looking forward to learning English but also to discovering a new culture, a new way of life, and a new family. At first, I was afraid of spending a whole year away from home, but now I feel ready and very motivated. I believe this will be one of the most important and enriching experiences of my life. I hope to share my own culture as well, and if my host family is interested, I would love to help them practice Spanish. My wish is to be part of their family, to live as they do, and to share their daily life.

My family loves to travel. Every year we travel both around Spain and abroad. I have visited several countries in Europe such as France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, and Switzerland. In Spain, our summer vacation lasts from late June to September. My siblings and I love summer camps in the mountains, so we usually go for two weeks. When my parents take their vacation, we spend part of it traveling and part of it visiting my mother’s family, usually in places with beaches because we all love the sea.

During the school year, I train soccer three times a week and on weekends I play official league games with my team. I also usually go biking in the afternoons. In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends, play soccer, go to the skatepark, or ride my bike. Sports are an important part of my life. My main passions are soccer and mountain biking, although I love surfing, but I can never do it because I live in central Spain. I've been playing soccer since I was six and riding bikes since I was four. I also enjoy watching professional soccer leagues and motor sports, such as Formula 1. I'm a fan of Real Madrid and AC Milan. I'm also open to trying new sports: someday I'd like to learn American football, diving, or skiing. This year, I'm training by riding my bike about 20 kilometers several times a week.

I enjoy all kinds of food. My favorite dishes are beef, pasta, octopus, and pizza. I love hamburgers, steaks, and barbecues. I also enjoy cooking and trying new recipes, especially desserts. I am quite good at preparing sweets and meals with meat.

A perfect day for me would be to wake up a little later than usual, play a game of soccer or go for a long bike ride, have lunch with my friends, and then enjoy dinner and a quiet evening with my family.

In the future, I would like to study something related to engines, such as engineering, because I would love to work in Formula 1. The most influential people in my life are my parents and my older brother. They always support me, encourage me to be independent, and give me the confidence that they will be there when I need them.

Thank you very much for your generosity and for welcoming me into your home. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and will do my best to adapt and follow your family’s rules and customs. I look forward to meeting you soon!

Best wishes,

Diego

 

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