Ventura County Youths Get a Taste of France

When 12-year-old Drew Westphal left for France last summer, he only knew how to say bonjour and count to three in French.

Six months later, he was speaking fluently and dreaming in French. He even read the Harry Potter books in translation. Now, Arnaud Lagoutte, Drew’s French host brother, is spending six months in Ojai, hoping to become fluent in English.

Once reserved for high school and college students, foreign exchange programs are increasingly available to elementary and middle school students. Four students from Ojai and Newbury Park recently traveled to France through a program called En Famille International for students ages 9 to 13.

The students spend six months in France, where they live with a host family, attend school and learn the language. Then a foreign student returns with the student to spend six months in America.

Teachers and parents say the program boosts students’ independence and self-esteem and broadens their perspective of the world. It also enables them to make friends with kids from another country.

“If a student is mature enough to enjoy it, it’s a wonderful opportunity,” said Brenda Knight, principal at Matilija Junior High School, where Drew and Arnaud attend school. “It really expands their horizons and is diversity education at its best.”

Some critics say 9-year-olds--even some 12-year-olds--are too young to send away for so long. But parents say the younger they are, the easier it is for students to learn a language. And the more likely it is that they are willing to leave friends, sports teams or after-school activities behind for a while.

“They are more adaptable when they are younger,” said Chris Westphal, Drew’s father. “They can adjust really quickly.”

Drew said he was homesick at the beginning of his semester.

“When I first got there, I was so depressed I couldn’t go 30 minutes without breaking into tears,” he said.

But in time he became more comfortable. Frequent phone conversations with his parents helped.

John Lamme of Newbury Park said his 11-year-old daughter, Catherine, learned how people live, work, study and speak in France. But he said it was tough to have his daughter gone for such a long time.

“She is full of giggles and laughs and fun and she is really a center point of the family,” he said. “Without her here, it was tough.”

The distance was just as hard for Catherine, Lamme said. At one point, she was so homesick she almost got on a plane, her father said. But a week later, she felt better--and excited to be living somewhere so different, he said.

During their time abroad, the students immerse themselves in a foreign culture--its food, music, fashion and customs. Drew said he didn’t like how many people smoke in France. And the music? Too much disco.

Drew said he got used to the different kinds of cheese and the three-course lunches. But escargot?

“Eating snails disgusted me,” said Drew, a freckled boy with tousled sandy hair.

Arnaud, a reserved 12-year-old, said he likes the cuisine here--especially Mexican food that is hard to find in France.

He also prefers the American school schedule. Rather than attending classes till 4:30 p.m., he gets out just after 2. And the teachers here are nicer, Arnaud said.

Arnaud said one thing that surprised him is how polite everybody is in America. In France, a person might yell if you accidentally bump shoulders. But here, the person usually says sorry, the boy observed.

Parents pay for the exchange program, which on average runs about $1,500 plus travel costs for the semester. Often, the host families take the students sightseeing.

The Westphals plan to take Arnaud to Hollywood and Universal Studios, as well as on a trip to New Mexico and Oregon.