Dear Host Family,

I am very excited to meet you. I want to get to know your culture, food, projects, hobbies, dreams, and the things you like… And overall, I want to be a big support for your children and their development.

Honestly, I wouldn’t say I like to write about myself, and I would prefer to tell you all about me in person or through videoconference. However, given that the purpose of this letter is to introduce myself, I would instead follow the protocol…

My family is comprised of my mother, a highly patient and hard-working woman, my aunt Susana who is very thoughtful and loving, my grandmother who is always the center of attention, my cousin Luana who has a strong personality and always knows exactly what she wants, and my cousin Celeste who is the loveliest of all and is always willing to share hugs and kisses while saying, “I love you.”

I was born in Ríosucio, a small and cozy town in the Caldas Department in Colombia that has excellent weather all year long. My favorite thing about my hometown is a yearly literature festival named “El Encuentro de la palabra.” This event brings together internationally renowned writers, poets, actors, and musicians. There are also art exhibits, theater performances, concerts, and many other cultural activities. I hope you have the chance to visit Riosucio and enjoy the festival one day.

I moved to Manizales to study Philosophy and Literature at the Universidad de Caldas. In Manizales, I learned to be independent and responsible. During those years, I took dancing lessons and practiced sports. I also joined a choir and participated in national and international competitions where we could test what we had learned. I also became an entrepreneur and launched an online business that helped support me financially. Manizales was a city full of opportunities for me. I even was the teaching assistant in the Intro to Philosophy class during my third year of college. I must say that it was inspiring to teach first-year students. Last year, I proudly defended my dissertation in the areas of Philosophy of Science and Moral Philosophy and obtained my bachelor’s degree.

Soon after I moved, my mom relocated to the nearby city of Pereira to look for better work opportunities. She and her sisters have been financial and emotional support for all of my life, but they were especially during my college years. I could not have gotten my degree without their support. I was fortunate to have my four aunts around. I visited them frequently and enjoyed watching my younger cousins, whom I absolutely love.

You may be asking why a philosopher is looking for an opportunity to work as Au Pair. The answer is straightforward: I love spending time with children. I have learned many things from them and their capacity for surprise. Moreover, I am also looking for opportunities to improve my English since I am interested in getting a master’s degree overseas. I also like to meet people from different cultures and learn to see the world from a different perspective. I want to live in a different country to learn about different ways of living and find new opportunities to expand my horizons.