News and media
Family life reveals France's softer side
Tue, 1st July 2008
Three years of school French did not count for much when Leah Herbert (16) was thrown into the long days at a 1500-pupil high school in the Limosin region of central southwest France.
But five months later, and with less than four weeks until she returns to Dunedin, the Queen's High School pupil is enjoying life as one of the locals.
"Now, the French isn't really a problem," Leah said.
"But when I arrived it was very hard, as I practically forgot everything I'd learnt."
Leah is living in the samll town of Brive-la-Gaillarde for six months through an AFS-organised exchange.
Her host family is compromised of Pascal Jacquette, who is a self-employed accountant, his wive Geneviève, and three daughters, of whom only the youngest Yolaine (17), is still at home.
Her parents' long work days and the big part school plays in young French people's lives took some getting used to.
"Family life is different as the adults work a lot, so I don't see much of my host parents.
"Pascal goes to work every morning before Iam and doesn't come home until 7pm or 8pm.
"And Geneviève is the same, as she works with Pascal."
It is quite a change from having a mum at home and a dad who is always home by 5pm.
"One of the things that I do like, is that my family here eats dinner all together at the table. And dinner is longer than in New Zealand, so you get to talk about your day and other stuff."
For Leah, school starts at 8am or 10am and finishes any time from 1pm to 6pm depending on what day of the week it is and what classes she has.
"Because of the long hours, I don't have much free time. But on Wednesday afternoons, there is no school in France and I go to a pottery-making class, which is fun."
Lunch is eaten in a school canteen, but a canteen unlike any she has seen in New Zealand.
"You go in and have a hot meal and dessert - it's quite nice actually. To get in, you have a kind of student ID card and it is swiped. There is a bill for the meal, bu it is paid once a year rather than every day."
Most of her free time is spent wih her host mum and sister.
"We sometimes visit other small villages near Brive or go to the movies or just stay home and play games. Every Saturday night, we watch a movie together at home. My family here doesn't have a television, but there is a video projector which is used for watching the films."
A highlight of the six months was a trip to Paris during school holidays in April.
"We went to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Le Louvre and Disneyland.
"For me, Disneyland was the best."
