Students at the Albany Academy for Girls are getting a first-hand foreign experience as students from the Lycee Saint Francois-Xavier School in France arrived in the United States last week to live with American students for 10 days, with a scheduled March 4 departure.
On Wednesday, Feb. 23, Albany Academy students were able to meet the French students for the first time during a reception in the Auditorium. Students from the Albany Academies will be going over to France and visit the Lycee school in June.
For some of the French students, it was their second time visiting the U.S.
French Student Antoine David had visited New York City the last time he was in the U.S., and had gone to many of the museums the city had to offer.
In his first few days at the school, he quickly noticed how the school was different from his school in France, as students at Albany Academy are constantly moving from room to room for different classes and also how friendly the students at the school are.
They’re very social and friendly, he said. `If you want to talk, we can talk.`
He also noted that the teacher and student relationship is very different from what he is used to back home, as he said they are a little stricter in France.
`They’re very authoritarian,` he said. `It’s much nicer to come to this school. The freedom is very different.`
Abbie Stasior, an Albany Academy student whose family David is staying with, said she is trying to give him the most American experience possible. The first night he stayed with her family, they took him out to Wolf’s 1-11 on Wolf Road in Colonie, and after passing by Colonie Center mall, she said she will hopefully be able take him to the movies.
It has been difficult getting over the language barrier, Stasior said, but said the French
students have been very friendly.
`It’s hard to translate but they’re really nice and open to talking and answering questions,` she said. `They’re really fun.`
The program was started by World Language Department Chair and Director of Global Studies Initiative Donna Keegan after she contacted the school a year and a half ago when discussing it with Olivier Benthou, the English Teacher at Lycee Saint Francois-Xavier. He was not able to come over with his students.
Keegan said she feels there it is crucial to develop a cross-cultural understanding with her students, especially after living abroad herself for a
number of years.
`I lived in France for three years of my life, and I learned more, not only about France and Europe, but I learned an incredible amount about my own country,` she said. `And I think it’s a really important experience for students in this global economy we’re living in to go and really live and experience something in a very authentic manner.`
Keegan said Staisor suggested she get involving in the program, saying she’s excited to go over to France, though she has been learning Spanish as her foreign language.
`I’ve always wanted to go to Paris and see all of France,` she said. `When I heard our school was hosting a trip, I was really excited and I wanted to go.`
In addition to attending classes with their host students, the French students had already visited New York City and saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. On Friday, Feb. 25, the students took a tour of Corning Tower in Albany and were able to meet the mayor, and enjoyed a Mardi gras dance put together by Albany Academies students.
`There’s sledding activities, bowling and there’s lots of other activities for them,` said Keegan. `The other major thing that they’ll be doing is they’ll also be going to a public school [Mohonasen Central School District] so they can see an American public school and an American private school.`
The two exchange teachers, Sylvie Bushouf, a history and geography teacher, and Natalie Monfort, a philosophy teacher, said while this is their first exchange program with an American school, they have been doing programs with other countries.
`We have exchanges with Germany, Italy, America, England and Spain,` said Bushouf. `It’s very important to have an exchange program for our students to see all of the countries. I think it’s very important because I’ve seen students have a clichE image of America. When they live with American people, it changes.`
Bushouf said she enjoys traveling and when Benthou offered them a chance to come over to the U.S., she did not hesitate.
`I’m really happy to be here,` said Monfort. `For a lot of the students, America is a dream. It’s very interesting to meet different people. Solidarity is very important.`
“