When I left home, I crammed my French lessons so I would be able to communicate with my new host family and at least feel that I would be able to exchange friendships with new friends and practise my French. Well life here, when I arrived was very different, everyone welcomed me at home and school as I was Australian and they really made me feel special and part of the school immediately. It was difficult to really understand everyone as they spoke so fast and smooth and I just had to listen very carefully and gradually I go use to the it and understood more and more each day. I had a great younger host brother and he introduced me to all his friends and their brothers and sisters and I had a little host sister who was so nice, she helped me the most with my French. We read together and she read to improve her reading skills and I read so I could read her class books to improve my French. We formed a lovely bond and helped each other.
At first the idea of having the same age host brother I thought would be awesome and was important, but I really did ever think it would be really great to have a little brother and sister hanging around me. Well to be honest, it was just the best, I felt part of the family, they included me so much as I had a younger host sister and host brother and the family all went out together and I naturally went along. At first I had not idea of where we were going, my host mum just said to be ready in 10 minutes and we are all going out. So without question I got my self ready and just tagged along and wow… we had so much fun and my french improved soooo much I loved it and my exchange life here in france just go better and better every day.
I loved having younger brother and sister, it could not have been better, they alsoloved the idea of an older host brother and it made me feel very special and they also exchanged french ideas with me as I exchanged English and Australian ideas with them. We played together,our conversation was simple, easy and I improved and did not feel embarrassed with my speaking skills as its so easy when you play together, board games and water balloon fights and just had so much fun.
I simply would not have had any other way. When at school, I had plenty of friends of the same age so its was the best of both worlds……….It was a wonderful exchange experience exchanging so many of our ideas together I love it.
