Dear Host Family, Hello! My name is Jiaying, but you can call me Angela—that’s my nickname! I’m so excited about the opportunity to live with your family during my exchange program. Thank you for opening your home to me! While staying with you, I’d love to help out in any way I can, whether it’s doing household chores or participating in family activities and traditions. I want to create lots of wonderful memories together. I’d also like to share parts of my culture with you, like cooking meals from Japan and China. I hope we can enjoy delicious meals together while learning about each other’s cultures! At the same time, I want to experience American traditions, learn how you celebrate holidays, and spend weekends the way you do. I’m a cheerful person. And I want to make others smile. My strong point is my big smile—though I’m sad that a letter can’t show you that! Some of my favorite hobbies include action (learning techniques for thrilling fight scenes in movies) and cooking. Maybe we can try these together! I’d also love for you to show me the things you enjoy. During weekdays, my life back home is busy but fun. I go to school, which is always clean and full of happiness. After classes, I participate in activities like cooking and playing a traditional Japanese instrument called the koto. I also spend time with friends, do my homework, and sometimes go to cram school. On weekends, I enjoy watching movies, hiking with my family, or hanging out with friends. I also take action classes! During vacations, my friends and I often visit amusement parks—though we’re scared of roller coasters, we challenge ourselves to try them! I want to live with an American family and attend an American high school because I believe it’s the best way to truly immerse myself in American culture and lifestyle. I’m also excited to share my own culture with you. Attending an American high school will give me the chance to make friends from diverse backgrounds and learn about different perspectives and values. This experience will prepare me for my future dream of becoming an architect. I know I might face challenges, like communicating in English, but I’m determined to overcome them and grow stronger. I want to study architecture at university, and during my time in America, I’d like to learn more about the differences between American and Japanese architecture. Let me introduce my family. My dad loves cooking and has been teaching me how to make dumplings—his dishes are always delicious! My mom loves growing flowers, though she jokes that they often wither quickly. My older sister is very positive and kind, but she has one flaw—she often eats all the snacks before I get any! Thank you again for welcoming me into your home. I’m really looking forward to meeting you and starting this amazing journey together. See you soon! Sincerely, Jiaying (Angela)