French Student

    My family was so excited when we found out we were accepted to take in a French student. We were constantly e-mailing him and sending pictures back and forth. He was so nice and friendly! We counted the days down until the very day he came.

   When he arrived in Arizona the first thing he noticed was how hot it was and how large our vehicles were. (He said it felt like a "cook" instead of an oven. And he called our vehicles "hummers".) On the way home from the airport we talked to him and he didn’t seem to speak English fluently, he was very quiet as I sat next to him and danced to country music (like I always do in the car).

    For the first few days he wouldn't tell us when he was tired (when clearly he was), kept his room nice and tidy, and was very polite always saying "as you wish." Four days after he came my family took a trip to Disney World and left him with our neighbors for the week.  

  
    When we came back he had completely changed. Gradually his room became messier, he spoke English almost perfectly, he became obsessed with video games, he would sleep in to 11 am every morning, and we started fighting; for we were close in age. When we fought we were like brother and sister. We fought over sitting in the front seat of the car, he would push me to the ground if I got there before him. Also he constantly told me to be quiet and he wanted to race (and win) at everything.

   JUST A WARNING if you or anyone you know plans to have an exchange student be prepared to have the busiest month of your life and gain a few pounds. We took our student out to eat every day if not twice in one day and we did so many activities. It was like doing everything you usually do in one year jam-packed into one month. Although it was a fun experience it will probably be a one-time thing for my family.

With that said, our students mother invited my family and I to Paris recently! Obviously there was nothing else to say but "yes!!", we weren't about to pass up an offer like that! I mean, who gets to go to Paris and stay in a nice apartment right next to the Eiffel for free? Although I will be so excited to go to Europe it will hold back our trip to Hawaii. I won’t complain though, I have life pretty good compared to others.