4,313 miles away from home. 26 students. Three teachers. Ten days.
Buffalo High School welcomed students visiting from Saint Front School in Bergerac, France on April 6. Each student was hosted by a Buffalo family during their visit. The foreigners experienced American life by attending classes at BHS, visiting Mall of America, and watching a Minnesota Twins game. The French Exchange Students noticed many differences between American and French culture. One common theme being the differences in schools between countries. In essence, the students noticed more freedom and relationships within the school.
Mathieu Joliey
Host Student: James Oistad
Q: What was your first impression of students here?
A: “My first impression of students here, is their freedom. In France, we have to dress up for school [strict dress code] but we don’t have a uniform. In France, we have to dress with accordance of our society. Here in America, you can tend to cut off you hair, [there’s] more freedom.”
Q: Is there anything unique about Buffalo that people here wouldn’t notice?
A: “Your classroom seems bizarre because it’s not very organized, you can make a circle with the table. In France, it’s very [rigid, unchanging rows].”
Kylian Sirin
Host Student: Aydin Scherber
Q: What did you think of Buffalo High School when you got here?
A: “This school is very modern, where my school at home is very old. Your school is very beautiful and big, I’m amazed.”
Q: What was your first impression of students here?
A: “All of the students are cool with me or all of the French. The students try to ask me questions, and I think that most of the students are great with exchange students.”
Carla Codgnotto-
Host Student: Audrey Green
Q: What was your first impression of students here?
A: “In America, anything and everything is big.”The students are very very nice and are very open-minded.”
Q: How are teachers here different?
A:“The teachers here are very cool! My math professor, Mr. Klingelhutz, is very very cool because he would act out equations, like transformations, and show me a visual way of learning. At home, it’s not good. Our schools are very closed and is mainly just lecturing.”
Flavie Pichot
Host Student: Juldyz Woodis
Q: What is your school like at home?
A: “We are not in school as long as you are here, we are in school longer and our holidays
are longer.”
Q: Is there anything unique about Buffalo that people here wouldn’t notice?
A: “It’s weird that you guys drink in class or that you use your phones in class because we are not allowed to at home.”
Q: How are teachers here different?
A: “In France, when you meet your new teacher, they just [introduce] their names and don’t explain their personal lives. Your teachers explain a lot, like their family and they talk about themselves.”
