Foreign exchanges - any tips?

[Copper]

My daughter is just about to take part in a school organised French exchange. We are expecting a 14 yr old French girl in about 6 weeks for 9 days, and my daughter goes back to stay with her in May/June. Has anybody had any experience of this? I know my daughter is worried, and I expect the French girl is nervous too. We are writing to her to welcome her, but I'm a bit worried about what to do if she's homesick, what to do with her on her free weekend (we have to entertain her) - advice needed please!

I wrote to her that our house was noisy and messy - in preparation! - but I keep telling myself that hospitality is all ...

I don't have any experience of these exchanges but I was an au pair at 14 and 15 in a different country... so maybe this is relevant...
Have you asked the mother what sort of food her daughter liked. It is quite possible that she is use to different sorts of food. Maybe she could tell you if her daughter likes particular sorts of pudding (deserts)?
Is her daughter sporty or does she like shopping ? I am sure you are in contact with the mother but maybe sh might have some suggestions ? Is there any local attraction that she might enjoy. 14 YO can be either very easy or quite difficult... ou cousin (14 YO boy) came to the UK for 2 weeks last summer and he really didn't want to ("It's mum's idea", "Nobody asked me what I wanted to do", "I don't know anyone there",... that sort of unhappy!)... but he was VERY happy after a week... so don't despair if she looks homesick... that may change during the course of her stay.

It sounds cruel but through experience over the years we've discovered that restricted access to home helps them settle here. It's the complete opposite of what you think would be useful but it seems to work becuase they just have to get on with it. The schools here only allow one phone call home during trips away becuase if one person gets upset mass hysteria breaks out and they have 30 teenagers all sobbing and wailing!

If your visitor really seems unsettled then a way round the situation is to tell them you'll call their parents and get their advice as to what to do. It takes the pressure off you and if the child is just acting up, they'll suddenly decide they don't want Mamma and Papa to know! If it's a genuine problem then hopefully you can sort it out between you.

As to entertainemt - maybe the cinema, swimming, bowling, iceskating, a football match? Depending on interests, a visit to the library, a museum or art gallery might do or a local National Trust place - to see how the other half lived.
Hope you have a lovely time and that your DD enjoys her visit, too.

We have just exchanged my daughter for a german girl! The details about each could not havebeen more different, german girl was a sport loving vegetarian, my daughter is a chocloate eating carnivore who lived for her meat!
Chrissie came here first, she was a lovely girl, she was a delight to have around, my daughter couldn't wait to go back. They both cried buckets when they had to leave each other.!!

I have to say I was dreading it, but it was an unqualified success!! DD and Chrissie are friends for life, they write, phone, email, etc every week and are frantically trying to find space in their holiday to go and stay with each other again. German girl wants to bring her 18 yr old brother next time, so I said fine!

Don't worry too much, don't try to do too much, look at the schools suggestion list of where to visit and then ask her if she has a preference. Our loved going to our local Italian, going to Camden Market and London shopping. 10 days went really quickly!

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