Hello, My name is Annabelle, and I have been dreaming of spending a year in the US for the past 3 years. I've always heard my parents speaking English together as my father is Dutch and he did not speak French when he moved to France. My family always told me that being fluent in English is very important, for the future work but also for traveling. I have been traveling since I am very young, and I love it; discovering new landscapes, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures. When I discovered this opportunity to go the US, I thought it was the perfect chance: learning English and traveling to a country I have never been to. Besides, it will allow me to step out of my comfort zone and have a new personal experience. My parents separated when I was 6 years old, but my mom kept the house, so I have always lived and studied in the same city. My dad, Michael, moved to another city and I am staying with him only every other weekend. This will be the first time I am living somewhere else ! Today, I live with my mom Celine, my stepfather Nicolas, and my older brother Samuel, who is 2 years older than me. I get along well with my brother even though we argue from time to time ! I would love to have one or more foster siblings, which would allow me not to feel alone and to do activities together. I would define myself as a smiling and positive person ; I always try to see the bright side of things; I spend a lot of time laughing. I enjoy spending time with my family by going to restaurants or just watching a series or a movie together. Sometimes we go hiking in the mountains. My friends are very important to me, and I try to spend time with them on weekends. My best friend is Ava. I spend holidays with her and her family. She has a little sister whom I consider my own. With Ava, we often stroll downtown, go to restaurants, shop, go to the cinema, or watch our friends play soccer. Sometimes we prefer to stay at home and talk, play board games, or bake cakes together. Regarding my hobbies : I love reading, spending time with my family and friends, skiing as we live near the mountains, sunbathing at the beach, traveling... During my year abroad, I would love to visit different places in the US. I have always done sports outside of school (gymnastics / baton twirling) but I stopped at the beginning of the year because I did not want to to do competition and also, I have a lot of homework. I will start again next year. When I am in the United States, I would like to be part of the high school cheerleading team. At home, I help my family with some chores : I tidy my room, unload and load the dishwasher, set and clear the table, and help with cooking. I love cooking, especially pasta with different sauces. I am not too picky about meals; I like to eat vegetables and occasionally fast food but not every day ! This year, I joined a new private school which is further away from home and where I had no friends going to. Therefore, I spend a lot of time in the public transportation, I have a busy schedule. It was all new for me and I have integrated well into the new school. I have made new friends who are really nice. I talk on the phone with my friends from my former school. In class, I have always done very well and I am a very serious student. I like going to class to discover new things and spend time with many different people. Later on, I would like to become a lawyer or a job related to justice. I tried to present myself as best as possible, and I look forward to spending this year with you. See you ! Annabelle