Anyone have experience of being a host family for foreign exchange students?

[MusicBugs]

We have 2 French boys coming to stay with us next week for the whole week. Our sons school have arranged it (there are 25 children plus teachers in total)

We know very little about these 2 boys although we have seen pictures, have their names and ages (10 years)but other than that, all we know is that one is 'shy' and the other is 'excited' actually, maybe he is 'exitable' - I guess we will find out next week!!

We are also really looking forward to it but would appreciate advice from anyone else who done the same.

10 seems quite young to me although they are staying with host families in pairs but we are wondering what the hell they are going to make of us when they get here!

They are coming from Poitiers (a beautiful town famous for it medieval architecture and associatons with Francis Bacon) but we live in Swindon (a commuter belt town on the M4 famous for an odd looking roundabout and Melinda Messenger )

So, apart from showing them which tap is for hot water and explaining that we drive on the 'wrong' side of the road - is there anything else we can do to make them feel welcome and at home?

hopeful bump!

10 is quite little for a home-stay in a foreign country. I expect the two little boys are in their last year of primary school. Do you know whether it is a private (Catholic) school or a state school they are coming from? That might give you a little insight into their family background (I will elaborate if you have the info).

French children normally eat three meals a day without question and will happily eat (expect, even) vegetables with their meat course (very few vegetarians in France) and a pudding (could be fruit or yoghurt) at both lunch and supper.

10 is quite little for a home-stay in a foreign country. I expect the two little boys are in their last year of primary school. Do you know whether it is a private (Catholic) school or a state school they are coming from? That might give you a little insight into their family background (I will elaborate if you have the info).

French children normally eat three meals a day without question and will happily eat (expect, even) vegetables with their meat course (very few vegetarians in France) and a pudding (could be fruit or yoghurt) at both lunch and supper.

Hi, I've done this once. It's a good idea to let them phone home as soon as they arrive, so their parents can stop worrying. Apparently French children tend to think they will be poisoned by English food, which I found rather scary, but our visitor seemed quite happy with what we fed him - seemed to like toast and marmalade a lot (they don't get that in France). We tried to do some traditional English things like fish and chips on the beach (He really thought he was going to be poisoned by fish and chips, but in fact really enjoyed it) and took him to a traditional pub for sunday lunch and a castle which is about all there is for tourists around here. As they are quite young they might enjoy getting together with one or two of the other pairs for 10-pin bowling or something similar one evening. I expect the time will fly & they will have a great time.

Good idea about phoning home snorkle - though they might have their own mobiles. Expect their grandmothers to ring up every other day to check on them .

Lovely advice and thank you!

BonsoirAnna,they are coming from a State school I believe.

My own children think that I poison them already so goodness only knows what our visitors will think but love the idea of fish and chips for one meal.

Would they expect a meat/veg type thing every evening or could we also think about a curry one night or maybe tortilla wraps/mexican chicken type thing with lots of salad?

Just trying to drum up ideas but if I have to make a casserole every night then so be it!

They are not allowed to bring mobile phones apparently so I will be getting them to call home every day as I think that I would be frantic if it were one of my children.

My own children will be delighted with the pudding habit though as it is normally only a Friday/Sat treat in this house

Much better that they are coming from a state school - they will be used to mixing with all sorts and should be open minded.

Curry and tortilla wraps etc are not really that common fodder in France, so check with them that they like and are used to spicy food first. They are probably used to meat and vegetables rather than casseroles - and most French children adore good English sausages and mash or roast chicken and baked potatoes . And you can make them spaghetti bolognese or carbonara...

Thank you, good english bangers and mash it is then plus roast and bolognaise. Will check re spicy meals.

Many thanks Anna, are you French by any chance

No, I'm English but live in Paris and have two French DSSs so know quite a lot about little French boys and their food preferences .

I work for a company that places French kids over the summer and I know one of the "complaints" we always get is about the small quantities of food at mealtimes! Particularly the packed lunches that they take to school- they can't believe a Brit kid can last all day on a sandwich and a bag of crisps.

They'll definitely have mobiles I reckon- all of ours do, and we insist that after the first call to say they've arrived safely, they get their parents to call them, or they use their mobies, not your house phone.

Feeding a child a sandwich and a bag of crisps for lunch is tantamount to child abuse in France where school canteen lunches consist of entrée, plat, fromage and dessert

Yes, so we quickly learned! (when emptying the bins of all the repulsive sandwiches on floppy white sliced bread)

Dd has done a few french exchanges,all depends on the child.One we couldn't get up in the morning ! She was still getting dressed 5 minutes before they needed to leave and she still had to have breakfast.She was a bit of a nightmare though .

We haven't had a problem with food but we generally eat a decent meat/fish and veg meal every night anyway.

I usually speak with their parents on the phone as well when they phone home ,just so we can ressure each other.

We also hosted a night with some of the other exchange students which was great as an ice breaker.

I haven't had any problems with homesickness but ours were older than 10. No mobiles came with them either.

Dd going on exchange next week actually.

The packed lunch information is really useful although they will be having a hot lunch at school during the week (god help them!) but I will be making a packed lunch for them to take on the coach for the journey back home to France. Will make sure it is very substantial!

I hope that your daughter has a great time away ggirl.

MusicBugs - you sound very caring and interested and I am sure your little exchange pupils will have a lovely time in your family .

Ask them to describe their daily life - it will be great for their English, just about manageable for them (with lots of prompts from you) and you will glean lots of information about their lifestyles which you can then use to adapt your own (a little) so that all of you are happy.

You might want to remind them to wash their hair and behind their ears - French 10 year olds are just like English boys in that respect .

Thank you BonsoirAnna I am part excited/part concerned (for them!!)as they are so young but my eldest son is the same age so I am sure they will have lots in common.

If I get stuck or have a major melt down, I will be straight back on here

OK, well I am back but not have a major meltdown!

Everything going swimmingly so far and they seem quite settled and happy (and getting cheekier by the day which I think is a good sign )

But we have a slight tooth emergency in that one of the boys had a tooth fall out after school and I now I don't know what to do.

I take my tooth fairy responsibilities very seriously and have been reliably informed that in France the teeth are collected by a little mouse but now what????

Should we put it in an envelope under the pillow or should I opt for an envelope on top of the fireplace?

Bonsoir Anna - where are you?

maybe the English tooth fairy should sort it out? it's a long swim across the channel for a little French mouse

LOL at the tooth fairy. You could post a query about the French tooth fairy on "living overseas" topic

Good idea MmeLindt and I agree about the swim too!

Maybe we could arrange for the tooth fairy to drop by as per usual but this time with Euro's (I have a few somewhere)

Really don't think that I should be creeping around his bed in the middle of the night so mantlepiece probably best idea

Thanks!

Oh, and find out if the parents would like the tooth back. I think some people keep them.

Of course! I need to get it back to them. I have always saved ours (quite a macabre collection in my bedroom drawer)