[LinnyLo]

Konbanwa,

I am a high school student, and I am going to be an exchange student this summer in Japan. Part of the application process is to write my future host family a letter (in Japanese). Problem is, I took Japanese two years ago for only a year at my school before my sensei moved. I have forgotten a lot, so I need some help.

This is what I have so far: (PS- It's all in romaji because my computer is a Gateway and so it rejects all things foreign. I can't type or read East Asian characters on it... I'm planning to send this to my host family written in actual Japanese characters though. But still, since I can't read it, if you help can you write in romaji and not characters so I can read it? Thanks... And sorry if my romaji sucks, I'm too use to writing in characters.)

Hosto fuamuri- he,
Konnichiwa. Hajimemashite. Watashi wa (my name) desu. Douzoyoroshiku. Watashi wa juu nana sai desu. Amerika karakimashita. Watashi no uchi wa (my state) desu. Watashi no kichi wa chiisai desu [My city is small?]. Doko wa uchi desu ka. Koukou san nen sei desu [I am a high school junior?]. Do kushyo to ryokuu ga suki desu [I like reading and travelling?].

Watashi wa roku jin kazoku desu. Okaasan to otousan to oneesan to otouto to watashi desu. Oneesan wa juu hachi sai desu. Otouto wa juu yon sai desu. Shimaiga imasen [I have no sisters?]. Nan jin kazoku desu ka. Otouto to watashi hokke- ga suki desu [my little brother and I like hockey?]. Nani supo-tsu ga suki desu ka [what sports do you like?]. Petto ga imasu ka. Petto ga imasen.

----That's all I have so far. Things in [] are things I'm trying to say but I'm not sure about what I wrote.

Things I still need to add (but don't quite know how to say in Japanese):
-Culture questions. Any ideas about this one? Stuff like; "What is your city like?" "What holidays do you celebrate?" "What does your family like to do?"...I'm not really sure what to ask under that catagory...
-Favorite school subjects. "My favorite subjects are my language classes." "I also like art classes."
-Future plans. "I would like to go to college and study languages."
-I must also thank them in advance for letting me stay there. Other than Arigatou gozaimasu, I don't know what to stay. "Thank you very much for hosting me." ...? Does that even make sense in English?
-Also, if anything I wrote is culturally inappropriate, feel free to criticize.

I would greatly appreciate any help at all. Even just ideas in English of what I can say. Really, thank you!