Hello!

My name is Claudia, I am sixteen years old and I am a Spanish girl looking forward to spending a year in the United States with a host family, nice to greet you!

I am a fairly open girl, I like talking to people and meeting new people. I like to make my friends laugh and to have a good time together. I like doing sports, like going to the gym, playing paddle tennis, or even skiing. Although there are times of the day when I like to be alone for some moments, dedicating that time to myself, reading, listening to music or watching series or movies, most of my free time I like to be surrounded by my loved ones, whether they are my family or my friends.

I think I am a good student to be part of this program, because, as I said before, I really like meeting new people and there, I would make new friends and a new family. When I stop to think about why I am a special person to be part of this experience, I think that my ability to adapt to new environments, to solve problems on my own and the independence that I have had since I was little, make me think that I can be a good candidate and that it could be a good year for both, me and the people I will meet there.

Continuing with this, I think that this experience would teach me many things, such as what it is like to be away from my home and my loved ones, it would teach me how to manage my problems better, improve my communication skills and express myself better in English. It would also give me the courage to do things that I do not do in my country, like practicing a new sport, joining a fun club or discovering myself, things that I did not know about myself, about my character and personality, as well as hobbies and my way of seeing life. And who knows, maybe I will like it so much, and feel so good there, that I could try to study at university there, or return in the future.

Continuing with my experiences abroad, I have had two fantastic experiences outside my country. The first was in ninth grade, when I was fourteen years old. I went with my friends and my teachers to France, for a week. I stayed at the house of a French girl, with her parents, with whom I spent an incredible week. Also, in tenth grade, when I was fifteen years old, I went again with my friends and teachers from high school to Italy. I stayed at an Italian girl’s house, a girl the same age as me who I connected with as soon as I started talking to her. Once again, we spent an incredible week together, as well as her family and friends, getting to know her city, culture and lifestyle.

And now, I’m going to talk about my country. Spain, more specifically my region in the South of Spain which is a land full of culture and customs that greatly enrich us as people. My region is also a place full of good foods. For me, I would love to teach my host family many things about my favorite traditions or how to cook many of my favorite Spanish dishes. I am sure that I would have a great time with my host family, exchanging customs and information about our cultures and teaching each other about our countries and roots. I hope to make great memories together with my host family.

Now, I would like to say something about my family. My mother is forty-seven and my father is forty-five. I have a little sister, who is eleven years old. My mother works in a company together with my aunt and uncle, my father works in an agency and together, with my mother’s brothers and sisters, they own a paddle club. My sister is in sixth grade. I also have a pet at home, a rabbit called Willy. Although we do not spend a lot of time together, I like to talk to them after lunch over coffee, travel with them, which is the best thing, or have dinner with them and their friends. They are the fundamental support of my life, and without them, this experience that I will be able to live, would not be possible. I am very grateful to them.

My life here in Spain is quite ordinary. During the week I go to school in the mornings and in the afternoons I go to the gym or to paddle tennis and then I study and do homework. At the weekend, I like to go out with my friends, go for a walk in the city centre, to the cinema or do something fun like bowling, have dinner together, etc. My friends are an essential part of my life. I like to do anything with them, whether it’s boring or fun, but we always find a way to have a good time together.

To finish this letter, I think that in the United States I will be able to form my second family, both with friends and with my host family. I hope to learn a lot about the culture, the people and myself. I hope to see new places, to travel, to experience many things I have never known before and above all, to have an unforgettable year. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for your great kindness and generosity in opening the doors of your home to me and giving me the opportunity to be part of your family. I am very excited to begin this new stage of my life in the United States and to share with you moments that I will never forget.