Living with a host family

After nearly living in Grenoble, France for a month and a half, I must admit that I have learned more than I could ever imagine in such a short period of time. We all have been there, through the doubts, tears, adrenaline, ups and downs, frustration, homesickness, and the culture shock of living with a new family. For me, living with a French family has been one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. There are a great deal of differences within the family’s routines, culture, traditions, and lifestyle than my family back in Ohio. Even with our differences, when I take a step back and look at the big picture, we all aren’t as different as we thought.

Currently, I’m living with the Exterier family and we’re like three peas in a pod. I couldn’t be any more blessed and thankful for receiving such a wonderful, caring and generous family. In all reality, there isn’t a lot of severe or shocking differences to me, in comparison with my family back in Ohio. Personally, it’s the little things that make the biggest differences in a positive way. For example, before dinner the table is always set in a very particular manner. Who would ever think that it matted if a fork was facing down or facing up? Before I came to France, I didn’t even know that there was an up or a down side of a fork. Here it does matter. As my family explained it, the French place the fork on the left side of the plate with the prongs facing the table. Whereas the English leave the prongs facing towards the ceiling. Back in Ohio, in my family, nobody really cares if your fork is right side up, upside down, sideways, or missing. As long as everyone has a warm meal we’re all happy. It isn’t often that my family sets the table and actually takes the time to eat together. The majority of the time we eat in separate rooms, at different times, the living room or not at all.

Another difference that really stood out to me is the fact that my family here, in France, always takes the time to live, love, and enjoy life. No matter how busy or tired they are, they always find something to cherish or to be optimistic about for the day. I know back at home families, and even myself, are guilty for getting wrapped up in their own problems, life, studies and worries to not take the time to profit from the beautiful weather, a rewarding exam grade, a conversation with an old friend or even family. Ten or twenty minutes out of the day really isn’t that hard to simply take the time to enjoy, profit and appreciate life. Here is a simple example, within the Exertier family, naps are essential and good for your health. Where back at home, we felt as if they were a waste of daylight.

I really have opened up my eyes to what my family and I take for granted at times. In France, showers are short, laundry tends to be air dried, underwear is strung across the house, wine and cheese every night, bread with every meal, fruit peeled with knifes, conversation hour after dinner, electricity isn’t cheap and a whole lot more that I’m waiting to discover. Some things are difficult, positive, or hard to accept, but with an open mind nothing isn’t impossible to adapt to.

As for similarities, both of my families love to spend quality time with each other. Whether it’s watching television, chatting over a cup of tea or going to the grocery store together. The concept of family is extremely important to the Exertier family and my family as well. They both love to joke around and tease each other about one thing or another. My host father is just like my step dad, a hardworking man who loves to come home to his family. Any spare time that he has, he spends puttering around the house or taking a ride on his motorcycle. Same exact concept with my mom and host mom. They both are loving mothers who are always there for their kids as nurses, therapists and babysitters. Whatever they put their mind to, they accomplish. Whether it’s sewing, painting, knitting or gardening its phenomenal. Some days it’s a bit creepy how similar my family and the Exertier family are.

Exertier family has filled my life with so many wonderful learning experiences, knowledge, language development and memories. Most of all, they have stolen my heart. Within such a short amount of time, they have become my very own family away from Ohio. As much as I want to be a part of their life they want to be a part of mine. I have already faced the reality that it’s going to break by heart to leave them, but I know someday soon I’ll see them again. When I return to the states I hope that I can incorporate some of my own daily routines, which I’ve adopted from the Exertier family, for example, actually having dinner together, healthier cuisine, naps and taking time to enjoy the little things in life.

-Klaryssa