My French Family

All 5 of my youth exchange families were incredible. They each made me feel so welcome and included from the time I walked through their front door.  

Normal Process

Generally, exchange students would have four families for three months each. However this was the first time my Rotary club had had an Antipodean student which meant that I was there over their long summer break (July & August), something they were not used to. So I ended up with five main families with whom I stayed for two months. It was just the two months over summer that were the challenge.

What to do?

In the lead up to summer, the Rotary club put a call out to see who may be doing something that I could tag along to. So at our weekly meeting a Rotarian that I knew well said – we’re going sailing for a week, I jumped up so fast out of my seat and yelled ‘SOLD’, (in French of course) another said they were going to Paris for a few days.. ‘sold again’! I was ready for anything that night, and would have gone camping in someone’s backyard if they had offered, I was just so darn excited.

These generous Rotarians didn’t have to invite me along. I was an extra mouth to feed, accommodate and pay entrance fees for, but they were in it for the same reasons I was. To learn and experience as much as possible. I was such a willing candidate, and having seen me week after week at Rotary, and trusted me to go on a holiday with their families.

I was so fortunate to have these experiences with such incredibly open and supportive people.

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Changing Families

The one thing I did come to dread was moving from one family to the next. It was so hard to move each time as I was just beginning to really get to know a family, then had to pack my bags and move again. I was worried I would not have the same experience with the next family, and the one after that and so on. In the end, I was fortunate that my experience with every single one of my families was so nurturing and wonderful that I just didn’t want to leave France and come home.

I remember saying this to my poor Mum about 3 weeks before leaving, which I don’t think went down too well. ‘Please don’t say that!’ she implored. I realise now how that must have sounded to my Mum who had been waiting patiently for me to return for a year. Ooops.

Leading up to the change over, my host mothers would chat about what I liked and didn’t like, (the good, the bad and the ugly I guess) so the new family would have some insights and help make me feel part of their family as quickly as possible without too much change. I was very grateful for that.

Just a little aside…

I remember the first night at my last host family’s house, sitting on an old looking chaise, and my host dad telling me that the chair was over 220 years old! Well bloody hell, I jumped out of that things as quickly as I could thinking I had just sat on an antique that should not be touched!  He laughed and said it was absolutely fine…… to which I said – this chair is older than Australian federation! We all had a good laugh at that, which broke the ice pretty quickly.

Nothing to worry about

In the end I had nothing to worry about. Each family was so wonderful. I had very different experiences with all of them, and each one helped me understand a little more about their different ways of French life, all the various French traditions as they knew it, history and family customs and most importantly, the food they cooked. (more on this in my other story, How do they do it?)

The best experience is with locals

Staying with locals in my opinion is the best way to learn about a culture and its people. To live, watch and experience life within their intimate circle gives you insights you could never hope to learn if staying in a hotel and only speaking English or mixing with tourists.

I could not be more grateful to all my families who made this experience the most impressionable, intense and wonderful year that helped shape who I am today.

Do everything you possibly can

Importantly it taught me resilience, learning to make the most of any situation, thinking on your feet (during those awkward conversations when no one could understand each other), making the most of any situation, just saying yes and seeing what happens, and learning to appreciate what I had at home. You really only begin this level of appreciation when you are away from everything you know and love. I have kept these life lessons with me always, and am so thankful that I had the opportunity to have this incredible experience through Rotary and their global family, and of course my parents for allowing me to do this.

Merci Merci Merci

I must say thank you to my families: les Soulard, Douteau, Braud, Hamelin and Sebileau, with special mention of my Illustrissime family – Les Yvernogeau et Baudoiun and thanks to les Rouvre, Niccou, Peltan, Masson and the whole Mouilleron le Captif Community, you know who you are.

Monsieur le Mayor of Mouilleron Le Captif – I am still waiting for a street to be named after me, but I am patient! 😊

When I return to France now, as I have over the past 28 years, I have an instant community of people I love and adore at the ready to catch up. They have welcomed all the friends and family I have dragged with me to France and provided them all with the same love and generosity they have shown me all these years.

I love going back, and I always will.

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for this unforgettable and life-changing experience.

Travel is the best.