Lettre à la famille.

Voilà ma lettre à la future famille qui me choisira. Dites-moi ce que vous en pensez :) (si vous avez du temps à perdre pour lire ma lettre huhu)


Dear host family,

Hi ! My name is Marine and I'm 21 years old, I live in a small village near Rheims (the city of champagne) named Prunay.
My parents are separated. Actually, I'm living with my mother Catherine (who is a secretary), my stepfather Dominique (who is a quality warehousing and repacker manager), my 19-year-old sister Julia and my cat Noisette. My sister currently studies commerce.
My father Laurent (who works as a clerk in a telecommunications company) and my stepmother Lucienne (who is a cook) live in the south of France in a village named Beaumont-lès-Valence.
Though my father lives far from home, I am used to going and seeing him every summer.
I'm happy that all my family agrees with my decision to spend a year in the United States except my mom who was afraid of that decision at the beginning. But fortunately, she changed her mind and now, everything is fine ! She helps me to make my dream becoming true.


Concerning my studies, I started to learn English, Spanish and commerce in high school in 2004 but I didn't like it (actually, I didn't like commerce). So I changed and moved to Nancy with a friend to start another academic program. I studied communication, journalism and English from 2005 to 2008 and I have been graduated in July 2008. I have been living on my own in my flat in Nancy for 3 years. During this time, I really became more independent, mature and responsible. Later, I want to be a musical journalist (specially a rock journalist) so that I think I have to be very good at English to interview bands and singers. I have already worked for a French music magazine (in Nancy), I wrote articles about music, CDs and festivals.
I really love languages and I have already studied Portuguese, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin and of course English (but I'm better in English than in all the other languages !). I would like to learn more vocabulary and to speak English fluently.
When I'll go back home, I would like to continue my studies and to enter a journalism school in Paris. And later (in 2011 maybe), I would like to do a humanitarian work in a poor country like in Africa or in South America. I think I will make myself useful over there.


My family and my friends are really important for me ! Though I am very close to them, I am independent. As I said before, I have been living on my own far from home and I didn't go back home every weekend (actually I went back home every 2 weekends to take care of Raphael and Anthony). I get used to live far from my family and my friends. My parents are separated but I do have good relationships with my stepmother and my stepfather as I consider them as my parents.
Otherwise, most of my family is living near Rheims, my grandparents even live just in front of our house. We are neighbours ! I'm going and seeing them every day.
My father has 4 brothers and 1 sister so I have lots of cousins and I really love taking care of them, though most of them are now teenagers. I try to spend much time as possible with them.
I don't have many friends but they all are really good friends. I know I can trust them and they know they can trust me. I'm always here for them. When they're in trouble, I always do my best to help them and to cheer them up. But as they live far from me (many live in Paris, others in the South of France), I see them about once a month but everytime we see each other, we spend wonderful and unforgettable moments together.


Now let's talk about my hobbies : I like going to the cinema and watching movies (Tarantino and Hitchcock are my favorites !), playing video games, hanging out with my friends, spending time with children and with my family. I also enjoy doing sports (swimming, running, basketball...), playing guitar, listening to rock music and going to rock concerts, reading books, cooking for my friends and my family (pastas are my speciality) and doing shopping. I'm also a huge fan of American TV series !
When I was young, I used to be very sporty (but I still love sports). I took part in gymnastics, handball, basketball and orienteering course contests. I love running too. I've already run 2 marathon races.
Though I am a little bit shy at the beginning, I am a dynamic, open-minded, funny, independent, serious, responsible and trustworthy person. I like having fun with my friends or with kids but I know the limits and I can assume responsibilities.


I really want to be an au pair as I love taking care of kids. When I was in Nancy, I took care of 3 children once a week : Pierre (6 months), Marion (2) and Camille (13). I looked after them and played with them. I also helped Camille to do her homework (actually I give her French and English lessons). I did bottle and spoon feeding for Pierre and Camille, potty training and changed their diapers, prepared their meals, gave them the bath and sometimes put them to bed.
Marion loved me as she always did hugs to me. It was so cute. Unfortunately, this family moved away from Nancy and we lost touch.
From the 26th of March 2006 until the 30th of June 2008, I took care of two adorable boys : Anthony and Raphael. Actually, I took care of Raphael from March 2006 to March 2007, 5 hours per Saturday and twice a month. He was 3 months old at the beginning and 15 months old at the end. From May 2007 to June 2008, I took care of Anthony 4 hours per Saturday and twice a month. He was 1 month old at the beginning and 13 months old at the end (in the same time, I also took care of Raphael). I did a lot of things with them : bottle and spoon feeding, burping, changing diapers, give them the bath, "playing" with them, putting them to bed and walking in pushchair. I really enjoy taking care of them, they are so innocent, so cute. I really love babies or little kids. We can teach them so many things, teach them how to walk, tell them some words they try to repeat ; they are so touching and adorable !
I do love it !
Last summer and this summer, I went to the South and saw my father. A friend of him came in July 2007 (between the 1st and the 15th of July) and in August 2008 (between the 1st and the 15th of August) and I took care of her little boy, Matéo. He was 1 year old last year and 2 this summer. I took care of him
2 hours per day and 4 days per week. He was a premature baby. He is so cute and so adorable. He always wanted to play with me and to communicate with me. I heard him telling his first words.
This summer, he used to "dance" with me. We had so much fun together ! I do love him ! I did spoon and bottle feeding, played with him and took him for a walk in his pushchair.
During my free time, I love spending time with my cousins. I saw them this summer. We had so much fun ! I supervised them at swimming, we cooked together, we talked a lot (about school, holidays...). I love them so much.


Going to the US as an au pair would be a wonderful opportunity to improve my English and in the same time to take care of children. I would like to discover your country, your culture...the American way of life ! I do like the American music and I'm a music addict (as I said before, I wanna be a music journalist).
I would like to share my culture with you, teach you and your children some French words. I really want to be part of your family, to be like the "big sister" for your kids.
I will take care of your children, play wth them, draw, go for a walk, cook for them, sing with them...
I'm ready to do as many activities as possible to make them happy and have fun.
Indeed, I love the American culture. Four years ago, American students came to visit my city. We welcame 2 girls, Leah (18) and Mona (19). They stayed only 4 days at home but we shared lots of things. We talked a lot and went out (bowling, shopping, cinema). I even taught them some French words.
It was such a great, human and funny experience that I won't never forget it !
Finally, I would like to discover your country as I really love travelling !
I have already been to Canada, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg but I've never been to the US, that's why I chose that country. It's one of my dream since I'm a child.


I just want you to know that I don't have my driver's license in France as I didn't have the time to get it until now. I hope you won't mind. However, I'll intend to take it in the United States.


I cant' wait for spending a year in the US in your family and being part of it and hope we'll spend wonderful moments together. I am in a hurry to meeting you !
I look forward to hearing from you soon !



Best regards,

Marine.