Need help with a letter to my potential hostfamily! (Please correct it)

Hi, my name is Janina and I`d like to work as an au pair (caregiver) in Canada . I wrote a hostfamily-letter and would be pleased if you would correct it. Thanks a lot. Have a nice weekend! Janina


Dear hostfamily,

My name is Janina but most of my friends just call me Nina or Jannie. I am 21 years of age and my birthday is June the 15th so I will turn 22 years soon. I was born in Eckernförde, a small town right on the Baltic sea in Northern Germany, in 1984. I really enjoyed growing up by the sea. I am now living and studying in Kiel, a city close to Hamburg.

I have two younger sisters named Kristin and Sarah. Kristin is a 20-year-old "Freshman" in college and Sarah is 15 years old and attends a high school for children with special needs because she is mentally disabled. My mother Bärbel is 47 years old and works as a nurse in a children`s hospital and my father Norbert is a 56-year-old security guard. I am very close to all of them, especially to Kristin, and get to see them very often even though I am living on my own.

From August 2001 to June 2002 I spent an amazing high school-year in Utah, USA. I have made a lot of new friends and had a very close relationship with my hostfamily. I returned to Utah once because I really missed my former hostfamily and friends. I graduated from 12th grade of German high school in 2003 and did some practical trainings to experience different work opportunities.

Since July 2005 I have been taking a traing course to become a social pedagogigal assistent, which is similar to a nusery school teacher or an educator . I am taking eight courses, which are: Social Pedagogy, Psychology, Children-Literature, Step-Aerobics, Children-Activities, English As a Second Language, Health/Fitness, Communication and Politics. My major course is Social Pedagogy. I will finish my studies in 2007 and get a permission to work with babies, toddlers, children, teenagers and disabled people in various child-care related places such as preschools, kindergartens, boarding schools, orphanages or children`s hospitals.

After my au pair-stay in Canada I would like to continue my college studies, get a degree in special education and work with difficult children.

Some of my time at college I have to spend in so-called "placements" working with children. From January to April 2006 I did a practical work experience session in a public nursery school. Most of my time at the nursery school I worked with babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age in a small group with 10 children called "Erdmännchen". The thing I enjoyed most about working with the little ones was that I got the chance to support the child`s learning process and really make a positive difference. I loved to spend time with kids, they are very honest. Even the little kids told me straight to my face what they liked and what they did not like about me, but I never thought that they were mean or unkind, just frank. My daily responsibilities included to play with the children, for example to dress up or play hide-and-seek, to sing and dance with them, to do arts and crafts with them and to look after them and their needs, such as to help them to eat, to change their diapers and to put them to bed for a nap. I also planned and guided activities. One of the activities I did was to stimulate the children`s senses, especially the tactile sense. At home I prepared a box with stuff to touch such as cotton and fir cones. I put gold paper all around the box and drew stars on that paper. To motivate the children I brought a hand puppet and talked to them "through" that puppet. I told the kids that I had brought a friend and introduced the hand puppet to them. The puppet gave them the box and asked them to put their hands in the box and tell us what they were feeling without watching. It was amazing to see them being excited and happy. All of them were concentrating and motivated during the whole activity. I have had an amazing time with the chidren and my colleagues and improved all of my child-care skills from this experience. I will do another practical work experience session right after my summer holidays. I am going to work in a preschool for difficult children. One of my tasks will be to plan and guide a project.

I have always loved to care for or simply be with children. I have had different babysitter jobs for several years and found out that I really enjoy to spend time with kids whether it be picnics on the beach, telling long good-night stories, dressing up as pirates or making a mess with cookie dough in the kitchen. I am more than happy to be involved and do not mind getting my hands dirty- in the literal and non-literal sense My cousin has recently become a mother of a gorgeous baby girl called Eleane and I try to spend as much time as possible with her.



I have been an au pair in the USA twice and in each case I looked after three children between the ages of 3 months and 5 years. I had a great time with my hostfamilies, especially with the kids, and I was able to improve my English skills from this experiences. I travelled a lot with my hostfamilies and with the friends that I have made there. We went to some exciting American cities like New York City and Las Vegas. I have also been a summer au pair in Italy where I got to look after two children aged 2 years and 4 years. I did not speak Italian and the kids did not speak German or English at all so the communication was not easy all the time. We talked through body language and I tought the children some German words while they taught me some Italian words. It worked out well Altogether I had a wonderful time in all of the au pair positions.

I believe in raising children with patience, respect and lots of love. I always try to be a good example to the children because I am sure they learn through modeling. Even if I always try to have a fun time with kids I have the strenght to set limits and be consequent if needed because I have made the experience that it is important for kids to learn that there are limits to their behavior and that not everything is acceptable.

I think there are many words to describe myself and my personality. I would describe myself as a happy, socialble and caring young woman. I always try to make the best out of everything and I think that I am easy to get along with. I love to smile and have a good time with people. I do not like people that pretend to be friendly and then talk bad about someone behind their backs. I know that my family and friends would describe me as a cheerful, self-confident and positive girl.



In my free-time I like to meet my friends, to go shopping, to go dancing and to do sports such as swimming, skating and running. I love to ride my bicycle. I go to college by bike every morning because I do not like public transportation that much. I also like dancing a lot. I used to do ballet dancing when I was a child and a teenager and I still enjoy "normal" dancing very much. I really like the outdoors and love to spend time at the beach. I am very active but I also enjoy going to the movies, reading books, drinking coffee with my girlfriends and listening to all kind of musics. I love to travel and explore different places. I am a very clean and tidy person and would not mind helping around the house as long as I am not being treated as a maid.

I would like to be an au pair in Canada to experience a different culture, to improve my English skills and to be with and care for children. I have already been to Canada once. In 2000 I went to Vancouver with my best friend because we had won a trip. Though we could only stay for 2 weeks, it was a great experience. We really enjoyed the city and the Canadian people. They were very friendly. I always wanted to go back there.

I know being an au pair in Canada will not be easy all the time but I am really looking forward to this challenging experience. I hope to find a warm, supportive and open-mindet family that really treats me like a part of it and gives me the opportunity to live my dream.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Love, Janina