To My Host Families :)

One of the special benefits of being a Rotary Exchange Student in high school is the opportunity to experience life in a number of generous, welcoming host families.  Personally, I think this is one of the things that really sets Rotary's experience apart from other exchange programs, in which exchange students live on campuses with a crowd of other foreigners, or with an exchange group of people from their native country- speaking their native language, carrying on with their native traditions and practices.  Living in a total immersion situation isn't always easy- that's for sure- but I feel like it truly is much more rewarding from a cultural perspective.  So, in honor of upcoming Mother's Day and Father's Day in France, I've decided to dedicate this blog post to my three host families who have taught me "life in French."

First, I'll thank the Paracuellos family, who first taught me my way around the city that would become my home; who introduced me to people who would become my close friends through thick and thin; and who were the first to show me that a family so vastly different from my own could have it's very own way of functioning, getting along, and caring for each other.

Next, to the Perrin family, who welcomed me into their home for the three months that included Christmas and my birthday and who were always there as a shoulder to cry on whenever I needed it; who appreciated my American cooking to a point I never would have expected; and who helped me get involved at the local hospital, as a way of giving back to the community that had given so much to me.

Finally, my current host family, the Defaux, who got me interested in the wonder that is French cinema; who reluctantly stuck (at least) their feet into the freezing Mediterranean when I just had to go swimming; and who have given me so many amazing (hilarious) memories.

All of these vastly different families have made my dream of living in France come true, and I know that when I return home in a few weeks, I'll do so with brilliant memories of wonderful moments spent with all three of them.

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
-A. A. Milne