| Dear family, First of all, thank you very much for reading my letter and for letting me be part of your family during my exchange year. About my family, I can only thank them for everything they have done for me and for always supporting me… We are 5 members. My dad, my mum, my sister (23 years), my brother (18 years) and me. They are all very important for me. My dad has always supported me with the idea of going to US, I have learned so much from him. My mum is not very happy with the idea of not having me for a whole year, but she always supports me with my decisions. She is the one I spend the most time with. She is always by my side. I love her so much. I have a very good relationship with my sister and my brother. My sister, is the oldest one, she spends a lot of time away from home and she doesn’t pay me much attention, but I love her all the same. My brother, is the middle one, he spends more time with me at home. I have a lot of fun when I’m with him. I love having them because I know that every time that I have a problem, they are going to be with me and give me the best advice. We all love doing family activities together. We love traveling to any place together and in summer we always go to Galicia (Northwest of Spain) to disconnect for a week. We also try to have dinner all together as much as possible. I am a sociable and friendly person, I would also say that I am a sensitive person. My friends also usually tell me that I am a good friend and that I am reliable. I also like to practice sports a lot. I am an active person, but I also have to admit that I like to be simply on the sofa watching a movie or in bed reading a book. My mother also tells me that I am a very affectionate person. I usually do household chores without anyone reminding me of them for example: taking out the dishwasher, putting on the washing machine, making my bed and keeping the room tidy…., it’s true that few times I have my mind on other things and my mother reminds me what to do…I think hosting me as an exchange student can be a highly beneficial experience for both the family and myself, as it provides, for example, cross-cultural learning and the formation of meaningful friendships. I’m an openminded girl, that is really looking forward to suit in your family and show each other lots of things as traditional food, table games, share opinions and sports. As I said before I’m an active person, I have a lot of hobbies. I’ve been playing basketball for 6 years, I enjoy it so much because when I play it I think of nothing else and also because I play it with my friends. I also love water sports. The Sea is one of my favorite places to disconnect and surfing is also a very nice sport to practice. I’ve practiced it since I was literally born, as all my family surfs too. Another of my hobbies is traveling, I love visiting new places, learning about new cultures, I also like listening to any type of music, and I know that in the US I will get to know a lot of different genders. Another thing I love is to read before I go to bed, I like to dedicate a little time to it before going to sleep. My favorite book topic is youth literature but is true that I have also liked other types of books. What I do spend a lot of time doing is going out with my friends. As you probably know, in Spain we all spend ton of time on the streets, walking around and socializing just because, that’s how our culture works. About speaking with my Spanish family and friends, I think at the beginning would be a bit difficult only talking with them once a week, but I am sure I will be able to manage it. I’m ready to get myself exposed out of what I’m used to and adapt to whatever I need to! Finally, I am deeply grateful for the generosity of the host family in welcoming me into their home. I would like our relationship to be a mutually enriching experience, where I not only receive, but also contribute to the well-being of the household. I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate in the kitchen, preparing Spanish dishes to share our cultures, walking your dog, and whatever else is needed. I also offer to help with household chores to ease your burden. In short, I hope that our relationship will be an exchange of experiences that will strengthen our family ties, making us a true family. Hope to talk to you soon! Irene |
LETTER FROM Irene
