Dear future host family, First of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be an exchange student, to become part of your family, and to go on this new adventure. My name is Freda. I am a German girl, and I am currently in year 10, which is Sophomore in high school. If I had to describe myself, I would say that I am a very extroverted, uncomplicated, cheerful, and sporty person. I am someone who is always open to new and crazy ideas and likes to try new things. I love travelling, spending time with my family and friends and, getting to know new people, cultures and languages. My favorite thing is to travel with my family. Ever since I was little, my parents have shown my little brother and me new and beautiful places in the world, I am very grateful for that. We have been to England, Austria, France, Portugal, Italy and Spain. We usually go hiking locally, but we also like to visit small towns and villages, try new things like surfing, or just relax by the sea. My dad is the one who introduced me around seven years ago to Volleyball, a true passion of mine. Besides volleyball, I also like jogging and other indoor and outdoor sports. In the summer, I like to ride my bike to the nearby lake with my friends and spend hours in the water and on the beach. In the winter, I like to snuggle up with a big blanket and read for hours, but when it snows, I love to be outside sledding, having snowball fights, building snowmen, skiing or, more recently, snowboarding, which I enjoy so much. At school, I have been the student representative for the last two years. I'm also active in several working groups, which means I spend a lot of time organizing different events and solving problems between teachers and students. I also sing in the school choir, and I like to listen to music and babysit. My parents both work in the media and have shown me the joy of photography and the beauty of capturing memories. But the most important thing I have learned from my parents is communication. Ever since I can remember, my parents have told me that I have to say if I do not like something. According to them, the key to happiness is communication and honesty. I think this lesson will help me a lot during my year abroad. I'm looking forward to living an American life, including experiencing holidays like Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving, exploring the nature, going to the prom, playing sports at school (maybe even volleyball), doing other activities like singing in the school choir, acting in the drama group, maybe being creative and so much more. Most of all, I would like to improve my English, so that I do not have to worry about pronunciation or spend hours searching for the right word, but, rather, can just be myself. I know it will be hard at first, but I am looking forward to the challenge. Most of all, I'm looking forward to getting to know you! In particular, I look forward to have game nights with you, watching movies, doing other activities, and become a part of your family. I will also happy to show you some of my culture, such as typical German food, music and literature. I am so excited to meet you! Warm regards, Freda 😊