Help with letter?

[ccullinansmith]

I am going to be traveling to Japan this summer on a study abroad program, and I was wondering if anyone could help me correct this letter to my future host family?
始めまして。私はコートニースミスです。ミシシッピ大 学の一年生です。フロリダのジャクソンビルから来ます 。おもしろい本を読むのが大好きなので、せもんは文学 です。一年に日本語を勉強しています。日本語はとても きれいなことばだと思います。それに、日本の文化とれ きしにきょうみがあります。日本で新い友だちを作った りおもしろい場所に行ったりみたいです。私の日本にか いがいりょこうは楽しいといいんですが。どうぞよろし くおねがいします。

[delacroix01]

I haven't learned a lot about letters, but at least I think it should be better to use と申します instead of です when you introduce your name.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by ccullinansmith

I am going to be traveling to Japan this summer on a study abroad program, and I was wondering if anyone could help me correct this letter to my future host family?
始めまして。私はコートニースミスです。ミシシッピ大 学の一年生です。フロリダのジャクソンビルから来ます 。おもしろい本を読むのが大好きなので、せもんは文学 です。一年に日本語を勉強しています。日本語はとても きれいなことばだと思います。それに、日本の文化とれ きしにきょうみがあります。日本で新い友だちを作った りおもしろい場所に行ったりみたいです。私の日本にか いがいりょこうは楽しいといいんですが。どうぞよろし くおねがいします。

I would actually like to say that it would be "nicer" to send this as is. This is not a business letter. Why worry about the little mistakes that indeed exist? They will understand everything you're saying, except maybe せもん, which should be せんもん.

I can easily re-write this entirely so it would sound like it was written by a Japanese college student, but who would that make happy? Not your host family, I guarantee as they will soon find out how your Japanese really is.

[chryuop]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I would actually like to say that it would be "nicer" to send this as is. This is not a business letter. Why worry about the little mistakes that indeed exist? They will understand everything you're saying, except maybe せもん, which should be せんもん.

I can easily re-write this entirely so it would sound like it was written by a Japanese college student, but who would that make happy? Not your host family, I guarantee as they will soon find out how your Japanese really is.

Not to mention that the family would be expecting you and not the English native speaker...so they will start speaking in a natural fast way. Ouch!