Dear Host Family, First of all, I would like to thank you for hosting me for 10 months. I am truly grateful to be able to have this experience and I am thrilled to know that you are making my big dream come true. I hope to create a strong bond with you that will hopefully last forever and to share many beautiful moments together. I have been cultivating this dream for about four years; I still remember when, in middle school, I was watching videos of exchange students on YouTube and wondering when my turn would come. I can’t believe I am almost there, and I can’t wait to meet you! I want to live this experience for many reasons. First of all, I want to discover your culture and immerse myself completely in it. I am also excited about the idea of attending a school different from the Italian one and learning a new method of studying. I hope to become more independent and responsible, but above all I would like to share with you a bit of my Italian culture, since you will share yours with me. Would you like to discover some aspects of Italian culture? My name is Tommaso and I am from Italy. My family is very special: before meeting my mother, my father had two daughters with another woman. I have a wonderful relationship with my two stepsisters, who are much older than me. We often do activities together, like going to the cinema, playing bowling and beach volleyball, and shopping. For me, they are not just stepsisters, but real sisters. I also have a great bond with my stepmother too, who raised me since I was little, and we like to go to art exhibitions and museums together. I also consider my stepmother's family part of my family. So, it may seem strange to hear, but I have six grandparents! My father and his ex-wife have remained on good terms, as well as my mother is a friend of hers. At home I also have six cats that I am very fond of, each with their own unique character that makes our family even more special. My mother's family lives in Kazakhstan, because she is Kazakh. Before Covid, I visited them once a year; now it's been four years since I saw them and I hope to see them again soon. I miss them a lot and I love them very much. My father's family, on the other hand, lives almost entirely in our city, except for some relatives in Naples. I love to travel, it's a passion that I share with my parents, especially with my mother. Traveling since I was little has allowed me to open my mind and give me a broader perspective on the world. And you? Do you like to travel? With my family, I really like playing board games and cards. At Christmas, for example, we play Tombola, a very Italian traditional game. I would like to tell you about Italian holidays and teach you some games. How do you spend your holidays? I can't wait to find out! My family appreciates many aspects of my character. They define me as smart, respectful, mature and determined. They think that I can live this experience to its fullest and they trust me. Sometimes I can be a bit touchy, but I always try to improve myself. My friends, on the other hand, say that I am sociable, always available to help others and able to adapt to different situations. I must admit that I can be a bit shy at first, but when I become confident, I don't stop talking. Most of my friends are the ones I met at school, but I got to know others in different ways, like on vacation or because they are the children of my parents’ friends. One of my closest friends is Alessandro. He is four years older than me, and he has been my best friend since I was born. He also came to visit me in the hospital with his parents the day I was born. We have a very strong bond and we spend a lot of time together, whether it’s playing sports, watching movies, or just hanging out and having fun. I love sports. I go to the gym four times a week for two hours per session. I also like other sports, especially beach volleyball and water sports, such as canoeing, snorkeling and diving. Do you play sports? I also like going to the cinema, bowling, listening to music, watching TV series and travelling. What are your hobbies? In my school, classes start at 8:05 and finish at 13:00 almost every day, with two short ten- minute breaks. I take the bus to and from school. In the afternoon I train, study and in the evening I relax watching a movie or a series. Do you have yellow buses to school? And do you have a canteen at school? I can't wait to find out these things and live like a true American teenager! I hope to build a beautiful relationship with you and to earn your trust, feeling like part of your family. In the USA I hope to grow as a person, become more responsible and independent and to spend wonderful moments with you. I can't wait to live this fantastic and important experience together. Thank you for reading my letter, I look forward to hearing from you and I hope to meet you soon! With love, Tommaso