Dear Host Family, Thank you so much for considering me as a member of your family! I’m truly excited about the opportunity to live with you, experience your daily life and explore the cultural similarities and maybe some differences as well between Germany and the US. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I live in a mid-size University town in the center of Germany together with my parents, my twin sister and our family dog. My dad is an Architect and works in Business Development for international construction companies. He travels a lot to Asia and the US. My mom holds a PhD in philosophy and runs her own small consulting company. She supports leaders by conducting training sessions and coaching on employee leadership and communication. In Germany, I think like in the US, weekdays are quite structured. My school day starts at 08:00 AM and normally ends at 01:00 PM. I usually eat lunch at home with my sister and one or both of my parents. Afternoons are filled with homework for school and some “me time”. In the afternoon/ evenings, I go to soccer practice or play soccer league matches. In my family, we value education, punctuality and my parents encourage me and my sister to participate in extracurricular activities. Therefore, growing up, I tried multiple sports such as fencing, horseback riding, skateboarding, before settling on soccer as my favorite. During school breaks, I enjoy travelling with my family and / or camping with friends from the local church group. Holidays like Christmas are celebrated in a traditional way in my family with grandparents coming over to our house, plenty of traditional food and lots of quality time together. I would describe myself as a positive and empathic person who loves meeting new people and trying new things. Sports are a big part of my life and I enjoy staying active, both during the summer and winter months. On the weekends and in my free time, besides studying for school and practicing soccer, I enjoy spending time with close friends. We go swimming, chat about the latest video games or simply enjoy hanging out. I also enjoy helping others, so I’d be happy to assist your family with small tasks around the house. I decided to join this program because I want to improve my language skills, meet new people and explore a new culture. My dad took part in an exchange program when he went to school, and I always enjoyed his stories about living with a typical American family and attending a US High-School. I hope we can share experiences and learn from each other. Fun fact: I am currently trying to learn how to cook and hopefully there will be a chance for preparing some typical German meal for you. I look forward to being a part of your family and joining your daily activities. Thank you again for opening your home to me. I’m excited to meet you and start this new adventure together! Kind Regards, Max