French Exchange Students

Annick, Audrey, & Ariane - our French exchange students with Lyn.

We wanted to learn about French culture from our girls, but more importantly, we wanted a chance to be parents. We wanted our kids to have a good time, to show them American culture, and to change Audrey's frightened look to a happy one. We tried very hard. I don't know if they realized that, because, as it turned out, they really didn't need anyone else. The three of them made quite a team.

In fact, a week into their stay, we received a phone call from Audrey's original host family, saying that they were now ready to assume their hosting duties. Audrey, however, didn't want to leave us. Feeling very uncomfortable, I informed the host family of Audrey's preference and they took it quite well. Maybe, I should have made Audrey handle this situation? Anyway, Audrey stayed with us.

We had been corresponding with Annick and Ariane, so we knew somewhat what to expect. Don't believe what Ariane tells you ... keep a watchful eye on her, her parents had told us in a phone call. But we had no previous experience with children of any age. How much parenting would we have to do? How much discipline would be needed? Actually, it turned out quite well. They were very wild as many western teenagers with raging hormones are, but very respectful to us. We appreciated the way they would ask for our permission about things and notifying us when they would be home from school. Lyn has fond memories of early morning conversations with Audrey, before anyone else awoke. And we will never forget their chaotic cooking of crepes (fire alarms included). They were basically good kids, but with wild streaks.

Unlike our Japanese students who studied their English quite seriously, the French girls tossed their books down as soon as they got home. The books are only for school Ariane said. Unlike the Japanese students who helped every chance they got, the only time one of them offered to help out was Annick when she had a cold (maybe she knew we didn't want her germs spread to everyone?). Unlike the Japanese students who kept their room clean, the French girls room looked like a huricane had hit each time I saw it. But that wasn't very often as they kept the door closed much of the time.

This is how they usually left their room.

Then, there was the evening we went to pick our students up from another host family. We were driving down a dark street when we came upon our students walking back from a movie theater they had gone to. Annick and Ariane were entwined with a couple of the male French exchange students. After returning home, I asked Annick if this had any affect on her relationship with her boyfriend back home (Ariane also had a boyfriend in France). She said that tonight was nothing, French people are just very affectionate.

Also, the next to last night they were here, the same three French boys came over to our house. They wanted to go outside and talk they said, but they would stay close to the house and they would be back in by 10:00. At 10:30, they were still close by, but at 11:30, I went out and they were nowhere to be seen. Eventually, I tracked them down. They had left our mobile home park and were at the lawn of a restaurant in the neighboring shopping center, with Annick and Ariane engaged in necking sessions with their new boyfriends. Audrey was just talking with the third boy. Apparently, she was either more loyal to her boyfriend back in Paris, or, as Annick might put it, just not as affectionate.

Though, I don't think Annick and Ariane were too happy with my putting an end to this, they obeyed and didn't say anything to me. Audrey seemed to have a look of relief.