Our friends from Frejus return home, and await the arrival next summer of a new batch of American travelers.
“There was not a dry eye on the tracks as the students said good-bye to each other and to their families for the past two weeks,” said Craig Vasey, who’s president of the Fredericksburg Sister City Association.
Last week, our friends from Frejus boarded the Amtrak for New York City and the final stage of their visit to the United States. But before heading away, they gathered together at James Monroe High School to catch a glimpse of an American high school.
Both the gym and the auditorium caught the students’ eyes. So, too, the yellow school bus the school system supplied for the students’ day at Kings Dominion.
Before leaving for a day of fun, they joined the Advance at the JM library to reflect on their time. in the U.S.
We talked for a bit about food — both how the French students felt about American food choices, and how their American hosts who had visited France last year felt about food in a country renowned for its excellent cuisine.
“The portions are so large,” said one of the Frejus visitors. “It’s so full of fat. It’s heavy. I couldn’t eat it every day.”
Then ended by noting, “But I love it.”
An American host compared that experience to her time in France, where the food was “fresh,” “not processed,” and baguettes were a favorite.
They also shared their thoughts about language. Asked if the language barrier was a source of frustration, the students mostly said only a minor one. They found ways to communicate, and to connect.
For the French students, that meant learning lots of new English expressions. One student in particular, who displayed a competent command of English, talked of his desire to perfect his English, because he wants to travel.
Carrying On
Next year, American students will travel to France in the summer, and adult members of FSCA will make their way to Frejus in the fall.
Watching these students — both American and French — leaves little doubt that traveling to other lands is both eye-opening, and life-changing.
And you can be a part of it.
Joining FSCA creates opportunities to support visitors when they arrive, or just learn a bit more about our friends across the ocean — even if you don’t make the trip.
To our new friends from Frejus, thank you for sharing your adventures with us all. Until next year …
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