Dear host family, My name is Marie. I'm in 3th grade in France, which matches to 9th grade for you. I have two older brothers : Pierre who is 19 years old and studies at University, he doesn't live with us any more and Paul, 17 years old. My father's name is Marc and he is a physiotherapist and my mother's name is Aurore, she is physician. I have a little cute dog, Rio and a tortoise called "Curious" too. Every morning and evening, I take the bus to go to school and to come back home with my friends. For lunch time, I meet my friends on the schoolyard and we spend the time together. My favorite subjects at school are english and mathematics. I'm quiet calm and sensitive but determinated too ! I like reading, listening to music, spending time with my friends. My parents love hiking anywhere, the mountains, the contryside, the beach ... , I like family activities with my brothers, even if they always make fun of me and my cute dog, but I like hiking a little less than them ! I am comfortable in cities with my friends, I like towns with its monuments, museums, shops, lively evens. I don't have a special hobby but I like to try and practise different and new activities : classic and modern dance, athletics, climbing, swimming, scuba-diving and even, once, paragliding jump, skydiving simulator. I love to go shopping with my friends too ! I practise ski in winter but unfortunatly there is less and less snow in mountains. I'm lucky because I have been able to travel with my family and it has given me the taste for traveling more and discovering other countries and cultures. I choose to go to the USA because this country has always made me dream : amazing landscapes, bustling and lively towns, renowned universityies. I want to meet new people with different cultures and cutoms. I want to see yellow buses, proms, life on the campus, hockey, baseball, american football matches and the american family life ! I think that such a trip will allow me to grow up, to become more mature and to become bilingual of course ! When I will come back home, I will want to work much more to get my dual diploma. Maybe it will allow me to get in an american university. Later, I would like to have a job, that allows me to work abroad. I think I can bring my good mood, my joy of living, my curiosity into the family who will have the kindness of welcoming me. I'm ready to do new experiences, to change my habits. To share my family's daily routins, to help her to tidy up the house, to cook meals, etc will please me too. I would like to share the whole life and routins of my host family, to build very good relationships. I know it won't always be easy, I will probably have difficult moments but I am ready for this experience and to make efforts ( if necessary ! ), and I know that my family support me. I thank you very much for taking time to read my letter and for you welcoming. I am so impatient to meet you ! See you soon ! Marie.