My Host Family Letter Example

Dear Future Host Family,

Hello my name is Sarah Bighouse! I am looking forward to becoming an exchange student and joining your family! I have a mom, dad, sister, and a dog. My dog's name is Zelda, she is a Drentsche Patrijshond. My sister, Alison, is two years older than me. She is studying at California Baptist University down near Los Angeles, California. My mom works in town as an ophthalmic technician and my dad works as a test engineer thirty minutes away from my house. We live in the town of Canby, which is thirty minutes south of Portland, Oregon. There are about 15,000 people living here. Canby is a small town with lots of farms and small independent businesses.  

I’m in the eleventh grade at Canby High School in Canby, Oregon. I am able to choose a few of my classes at school. This year I chose art and design from around the world. I chose this because I love to make and learn about art. I find it super interesting to learn about artists and the work they have done. I also take pre-calculus, American literature, humanities, and American government. I have five classes per day and they are all a little over an hour long. Usually, I would drive to school everyday, it takes about ten minutes to get there since our neighborhood is nearby. But this year all my classes are online, so I do school from home. Our house is two stories and I have my own bedroom upstairs. My family usually hangs out downstairs in the living room together and that is where I do most of my homework. Sometimes I go upstairs where it is a bit quieter and I can focus more. I plan on going to university after I graduate from high school. I am still exploring my career options because I don't know what I want to do when I am older.

I love to cook and bake. My favorite thing to cook is Parmesan risotto with seared scallops and sauteed garlic kale. My favorite things to bake are crème brûlée and peach galette. I also love to eat. My family and I go up to Portland on the weekends sometimes. I love exploring downtown and eating at the delicious restaurants there. There are also lots of sports teams in Portland that are fun to watch. I don't play sports but I love to watch them. My favorites are the Portland Timbers soccer team and the Portland Winterhawks ice hockey team. I enjoy going on hikes with my dog when I have time. I like to go up to waterfalls or down to rivers. I am a part of two different Christian youth groups. I meet with each group once a week. We play games like kickball and charades. After, we talk about Jesus for a bit then eat dinner together. I am also a leader for a middle school youth group. We meet with them once a month and sometimes have smaller group get-togethers throughout the month. I like to read and I also like to draw and paint in my free time. I love dogs, but I am allergic to cats. I also like most foods and am willing to try new foods. I value people who are authentic, genuine, and down to earth and I think it would be difficult to live with people who valued appearances and status over character.

I love to travel and I have taken lots of trips both within the US and in other countries. My family has been to lots of states within the US. My dad and I have been on a few bike trips together. Once, we drove to Washington then rode our bikes around the San Juan Islands for a few days. Last year I planned a trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My parents gave me a budget and I planned a vacation for us. I couldn't decide where to go, so I threw a dart at a map. It was an unexpected and super fun trip. We ate good food and explored the city. I've also been to Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. My family has been to Victoria, Canada several times. We went up once and made friends, so now we have an excuse to go back and visit them. One of my uncles has a house down in Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, Mexico. We stayed there for about a week and it was beautiful. Another trip I went on was to Costa Rica on a school trip. My school art teacher organized it and about twenty five of us went together. We explored all around the country for ten days. It was an amazing trip where I grew closer with friends and experienced a lot of new things.

Through my travels I have learned a lot about myself. I have realized what some of my strengths and weaknesses are as a person. I am an open person who is excited to try new things and go on new adventures. I have learned that I need to go into situations with an open mind. I enjoy taking on challenges and projects. I make friends quickly, but I am cautious with who I choose to develop deep friendships with. I hope to learn more about myself while on the exchange. By living away from my family and everything that is familiar, I will inevitably become more self-aware and independent. I also want to experience a new culture and lifestyle. I hope to meet lots of new people and make new friends. I don't have any specific expectations because I want to approach the exchange with an open mind and not have any presumptions hold me back. I am thrilled for this opportunity and can’t wait to meet you!

Sarah