My name is Kristen Kestel and I am emailing you from my husband's account. I am writing because I enjoyed reading your profile and believe you may be a good fit for our family. I also want to make sure you think we might be a good host family for you! So, I have a few questions to see if you think it might make sense to host an interview.
1) Are you okay waiting until December to come to the States?
2) Are you okay with several months of rainy and cold weather? It does not rain non-stop but it can be cloudy for several weeks at a time which is hard for some people. (We live about 30 minutes north of Portland, Oregon.) We moved here from Arizona and would never want to move back - we love it here.
3) Are you alright with caring for three children (they will be ages 5 years, 2.5 years and 3 months old when you arrive)? Our profile provides a general daily schedule but you would have the baby all day, every week day; the two year old 2-3 full days a week (she would spend at least two half days at day care for social interaction) and the 5 year old will be in preschool from 9:00 - 11:30 every day except Wednesdays. Our hours for you would be approximately 7:00 - 4:00 with virtually every weekend off.
I lived in Korea for a year so I understand what it is like to live away from your home, in a foreign country, and to deal with homesickness and culture shock and even what it is like to then return home (it was harder to come home than it was to go away!).I even spent a month in Thailand when I completed my year in Korea!
I also was a live-in nanny for many summers in my high school and university years - so I also know what it is like to get accustomed to living in another family's home and care for their children - and respect the free time you will need to unwind and take a break.
We have an extra vehicle we just purchased for the sole purpose of giving you the minivan for the kids during the week but the small car for use for your classes, monthly meetings with the LCC and even for your own personal use on the weekends.
We hope to hear from you and see if you have interest in "interviewing" us too!