Dear future host family,

my name is Santiago, I am 16 years old, I live in Germany, I am in the 10th grade of high school, and I would like to tell you more about myself so that you can get to know me better.

I was born in Lima, Peru and moved to Germany with my family when I was 4 years old. I live here with my German mother, my Peruvian father, my older sister, my younger sister, and my cat Momo. I live in a city in an apartment, have great friend groups, and I enjoy going to my school, which is very close to my home.

I am especially interested in biology and geography. I get along well with my classmates, and I have been elected as class representative four times. I plan to study medicine. My dream job is to become an accident-surgeon one day, or a pilot as a Plan B. I love to gather important information about medicine, for example, when I was allowed to watch an eye-surgery during my internship at a clinic last summer. After school, you can usually find me at the gym with my friends or at home studying. I also really enjoy watching movies or series. I am especially interested in the genres of dystopia, drama, and horror. Music is also a big part of my daily life. I like listening to artists like Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, SZA, or FloyyMenor. But while exercising, I also like to listen to true crime podcasts.

I am fundamentally a very open person who loves to make new connections and expand my circle of friends. Together with my friends, I often engage in various activities and create wonderful memories. Additionally, I like introducing my friends to each other. This is why I’m looking forward to making new contacts in the USA. I enjoy being with people who share the same interests, but I also find it fascinating to meet individuals with different opinions and personalities.

In my family, I have a good relationship with everyone, and I share things in common with each of them. My mother works for a non-governmental organization (NGO) where she takes care of people in need, while my father is employed in the catering sector of a German railway company. My older sister is currently preparing for her “Abitur”, which is a type of high school diploma in Germany, and she earns some money through a part-time job. To earn some extra cash alongside my pocket money, I am currently delivering newspapers, and I have gained experience from this job. At home I take on household responsibilities, such as taking care of my cat, which includes feeding him, clean his litter box, and providing general care. Of course, I also do laundry sometimes and empty the dishwasher.

I truly enjoy spending time with my family and having conversations with them. We often travel together, and I already visited many different places. My dream is to travel around the whole world one day. Every 2-5 years, we also fly back to Peru to visit our family and meet friends. When I’m in my hometown, I go out to eat, I cook at home or visit friends. I also often visit my grandfather, who lives nearby. I take walks with him or simply have relaxed conversations. At least once a month, we also meet with my large German family, who live in cities that are a bit farer away, and I spend time with my cousins.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know your habits and becoming a part of your daily life. I want to spend my exchange year in the USA because it is one of the countries I want to visit. I find it exciting to experience the American lifestyle and go to high school there. I hope we get along well, but I have no doubts. I can’t wait to meet you and have a great time together.

I’m infinitely grateful for your hospitality and openness. I’m really looking forward to meeting you and hope to hear from you soon.