French Students Set To Return Home
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Baroan and Huijgen left their homes in Niort, France, nearly seven weeks ago to live in Warsaw with host families.
Now their trip is over and they are headed back to their home of about 60,000 people and their own school, Lycée St. André.
Arriving in August, Baroan and Huijgen had a chance to fly into Chicago and take some sights there before coming to Warsaw. Huijgen also went to Cedar Point.
But a well-rounded experience as a teenager in the United States was the key for the two students.
While that includes shopping and watching movies, it also involves learning about and assimilating to a culture while sharing your own.
Baroan lived with Warsaw Community High School student Haley Coppes' family while Huijgen lived with Lauren Alcorn's.
The two French students adjusted to the shorter school day as well as the difference between the English they learned in middle school and the English used by American high school students.
"I had to get used to how fast everyone talked," said Baroan. "And the sorts of words they used."
That included some words that can't be published in this newspaper.
"I already knew the bad words," joked Huijgen.
The two students proved to be invaluable to their French classes as a way to provide perspective and understanding of their culture.
Both students were expected to leave for France today and are flying out of Chicago.
Baroan said she considers Coppes to be her sister and that there may be an emotional goodbye.
Baroan, who also joined the hip hop dance team for the school, said she hopes to come back again and is even thinking about going to college in the states.
Huijgen said she hopes to attend the University of Southern California.
Besides the pace and type of language, both students said they became close with their host families despite some differences.
Baroan noted that her family in France shares meals together every night, while with busy schedules and jobs that's reduced to a couple of times a week in the states.
Coppes and Alcorn look to see their friends again on trips to France.
For Coppes it will be her second trip while it will be Alcorn's first.
Alcorn said she's looking forward to sightseeing in Paris.
The program is an exchange developed by former WCHS French teacher David Chastain in 2008.
The program is ran on the French side by Lycée St. André English teacher Mickael DeLions.[[In-content Ad]]The current French teachers at WCHS are Anne Slaughter and Christopher Hindsley. Chastain has since retired from WCHS
So what's the one thing the students hope to bring back to France?
"Football," said Huijgen.
Slaughter said Huijgen fell in love with the game and hopes to share her love with those back home.
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Baroan and Huijgen left their homes in Niort, France, nearly seven weeks ago to live in Warsaw with host families.
Now their trip is over and they are headed back to their home of about 60,000 people and their own school, Lycée St. André.
Arriving in August, Baroan and Huijgen had a chance to fly into Chicago and take some sights there before coming to Warsaw. Huijgen also went to Cedar Point.
But a well-rounded experience as a teenager in the United States was the key for the two students.
While that includes shopping and watching movies, it also involves learning about and assimilating to a culture while sharing your own.
Baroan lived with Warsaw Community High School student Haley Coppes' family while Huijgen lived with Lauren Alcorn's.
The two French students adjusted to the shorter school day as well as the difference between the English they learned in middle school and the English used by American high school students.
"I had to get used to how fast everyone talked," said Baroan. "And the sorts of words they used."
That included some words that can't be published in this newspaper.
"I already knew the bad words," joked Huijgen.
The two students proved to be invaluable to their French classes as a way to provide perspective and understanding of their culture.
Both students were expected to leave for France today and are flying out of Chicago.
Baroan said she considers Coppes to be her sister and that there may be an emotional goodbye.
Baroan, who also joined the hip hop dance team for the school, said she hopes to come back again and is even thinking about going to college in the states.
Huijgen said she hopes to attend the University of Southern California.
Besides the pace and type of language, both students said they became close with their host families despite some differences.
Baroan noted that her family in France shares meals together every night, while with busy schedules and jobs that's reduced to a couple of times a week in the states.
Coppes and Alcorn look to see their friends again on trips to France.
For Coppes it will be her second trip while it will be Alcorn's first.
Alcorn said she's looking forward to sightseeing in Paris.
The program is an exchange developed by former WCHS French teacher David Chastain in 2008.
The program is ran on the French side by Lycée St. André English teacher Mickael DeLions.[[In-content Ad]]The current French teachers at WCHS are Anne Slaughter and Christopher Hindsley. Chastain has since retired from WCHS
So what's the one thing the students hope to bring back to France?
"Football," said Huijgen.
Slaughter said Huijgen fell in love with the game and hopes to share her love with those back home.
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