Hills Continues French Student Exchange Program 2
By Eleanor Mathews
Twenty-five years ago, Watchung Hills Regional High School and the Lycee Jules Ferry, a public secondary school in Paris, began a friendship that, with only a few interruptions, has lasted until the present time. The tradition which began in 1981 under the aegis of now retired French teacher Dorothy Treney is still going strong. (The international visits have taken place yearly—except for a pause of three years since the last exchange because of security concerns. )
The program is set up so that, on each side of the Atlantic, students live with a host family and briefly become part of that family’s life and community. The visiting students have an opportunity to follow their host-students’ school schedule and to experience “life as it is lived”—whether in the Watchung Hills or in the Montmartre section of Paris. Exchange programs among language students,in contrast to organized sight-seeing trips abroad, have proved an effective way for students on both sides of the ocean to experience at first hand another culture and to practice language skills in a day-to-day setting. (Students of Spanish, Italian and German have similar home-to-home/school-to-school exchanges.)
Seventeen Parisians, accompanied by their teachers, Marie Cordie-Levy and Sophie Haziza, both English-fluent, arrived on October 19 and departed on November 2, a period which coincided with such uniquely American traditions as Halloween, football season, election campaigning, and pre-holiday shopping.
Hills’ French teacher, Gale Benn, had organized a full schedule of events, based on the Parisians’ interests. At their request, their schedule was heavily loaded with museum trips—the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Museum of Modern Art—as well as some of the standard tourist attractions, the Statue of Liberty, the U.N. Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Chinatown, and the play they’d heard so much about, “Phantom of the Opera.” Benn’s fellow French teacher, Tanya Boudakian, who,as a student, had herself been a member of the Jules Ferry-Watchung Hills exchange, helped in the planning.
The French visitors, 16- and 17-year olds who had a fair command of English, “shadowed” their hosts at school on three days. They were amazed at the scope of courses and the many amenities offered at Watchung Hills. The curriculum in France is still traditionally academic, said Cordie-Levy, and Hills’ course of study booklet, from which students choose their curriculum, was an “eye-opener”—Jules Ferry students follow a prescribed curriculum—as was the use of laptops, television sets. The many improvements and updates since their last visit three years ago made the visit an almost new experience, the teacher said.
Students got to know each other somewhat even before the exchange took place, as an attempt had been made to match students with similar interests. Additionally, they had communicated with one another through e-mail.
Host families included those of the following students: Adam Kurland, Marielle Hampton,Alyson Marks , Allison McDonough, Alexandra Beck, Michael Pitter,Samantha Harrison, Oskar Kostecki, all of Warren; Melissa Desnoyers, Kyle Seelig, Stephanie Hollander, all of Watchung; Lianna Cohen of Stirling; Jamie Croucher, Ben Selfridge, Emily Salerno of Millington; Marjolein Zijdel of Gillette; Dan Alhanti of Green Brook.
Kyle Seelig’s guest, Pierre Porcher, described as a mannerly, “properly-clad” young man who was interested in foods, attended a cooking class and, in fact, prepared a “cordon bleu” meal for the Seeligs. An avid student of the Napoleonic era, he was most interested in Seelig’s history class. During his stay, he was introduced to pumpkin-carving, a Halloween parade, and football, a sport not well known in France.
Vladimir Salles soon became a member of Ben Selfridge’s family circle, joining in such activities as pumpkin-picking, hiking and bowling, and proved to be a “polite, grateful and gracious guest.” Perhaps that was because he shared many of his host’s likes and dislikes—in music, for example—and used the French parallel of many Americanisms. “It was totally fun to speak in English with him,” said Selfridge,a French 5 student. His guest was surprised by the informality of the school setting, in contrast to the formal French learning environment.
Marjolein Zijdel’s guest, Floriane Perrin de Brichambaut, who was described by her host as “being passionate about mastering English,” did, indeed, speak the language well enough to be interviewed without intervention from her host. The Parisian was overwhelmed by the American welcome she received. She adapted exuberantly to everything she was exposed to—hayrides, haunted houses, dress-up, trick-or-treat, Burger King, a special birthday party, Starbuck’s – all the “normal American stuff.” Since she has four brothers, she is looking forward to renewing her friendship with Marjolein when she comes to Paris. She declared with feeling; “I love America!”
The Watchung Hills-Lycee Jules Ferry exchange round will be completed some time next spring, probably during Hills’ spring break. Hills’ host students will feel very much at home when they become guests for, like their Parisian counterparts, they will be able others’ experience life and culture on a more intimate level than is would be acquired by tourists, have opportunities to use the language skills learned in classrooms in a more realistic situation, and above all, help create understanding, acceptance and good will in an era when many such attitudes need cultivation.
Parisian Students Adapt to Life in the Hills (Photo by Eleanor Mathews)
Seventeen students from Lycee Jules Ferry lived the life of American students during their recent two-week visit with Watchung Hills Regional High School students. The Parisians became acquainted with school life, football, Halloween, and with the American lifestyle as practiced in the Hills. They also spoke English quite well. Pictured, from left, seated, are: Maurice Wu, Elli Delsart, Nahema Mezerette, Floriane Perrin de Brichambaut, Marion Lochman, Hypolyte Herpin, Caroline Barth, George Hochmann; standing, rear: Pierre Pocher, Lou Nicholas, Kevin Navette, Xavier Wertenschlag, Federico Hebel, Alain Lin, Safia Dworjack, Vladimir Salles. Teachers, Mme. Cordie Levy (left end ) and Sophie Haziza are also looking forward to hosting Hills students when they visit Paris in the spring.