Giselle and Antoine agreed that the main reason they came to Chicago from Paris through the French exchange program was for the“food and Bulls t-shirts.”
Sitting in our student cafeteria, the two French students stared nervously as they took in their surroundings. Antoine and Giselle remarked that students at New Trier “always wear shorts with high socks” and how all students seem to have “big bags.”
It seems crazy to say goodbye to France for Illinois, but on April 8, Giselle and Antoine were two of the sixteen French students that came to Chicago from Notre-Dame de Sion, in Paris, to immerse themselves in the American culture.
Junior Nicki Alston, Antoine’s host, thought that the coolest thing about hosting is “realizing the connections you have in your life.” Alston said, “I feel like everything for them is so new here, but then when you find something that he does there that we also do here, it’s really cool for the both of us.”
Giselle’s host, junior Anna Derrick, said, “I like just seeing the different culture and the way that they do things differently or the way they do things the same.”
During their thirteen-day stay, the French students will “have two days of shadowing with their hosts and in the library to spend a little time researching Chicago and the aspects of the architecture,” exchange coordinator and French teacher, Liette Brisebois, said.
On Friday, April 15, they “[took] a tour with the Student Ambassadors and shadow[ed]. They’ll be here for a full day on April 21, shadowing, doing homework and interviews. They’ll interview teachers. They’ll interview students. They have to construct a little film,” Brisebois said.
Since the exchange students are the only shadowing for two days, the other eleven days will consist of “the usually suspects”: Millennium Park, cultural center, Water Tower Place and Northwestern. They visit the Willis Tower and take a guided trolley tour.
“We try to provide them with a variety of experiences,” Brisebois said.
“The exchange is very special, it’s kind of old world in that way. It’s connecting with people, getting out of your comfort zone, exploring differences and similarities, making connections, and that’s what we want them to experience,” Brisebois explained. “We promise an experience.”
Derrick and Alston’s old world experience started through social media. Alston said, “We used Facebook Messenger to keep in touch, then Snapchat and Instagram as well.”
It isn’t just the communication and friendships that makes this trip interesting. “I just think it’s really cool, having somebody in your home and showing them everything and having it be so new to them and so exciting. It makes you proud of where you live,” Alston said.
Sophomore Allie Caldwell, the host of French exchange student, Isaure, said, “You get to do things for the first time again. I thought it would be a lot of fun and it is.”
The fun experience isn’t one-sided. Isaure raved about the buildings in Chicago, how America is “awesome,” and how all the students are “really welcoming and excited.” She was drawn to this Chicago exchange because she “loves traveling and missed America” since she lived in the US prior to moving to Paris.
The best part of the exchange program seems to be forming these connections and being able to be an outlet for your culture to an outsider.
Derrick said, “When I go to Paris, I’m going to want to experience the culture there, so it’s cool to give someone else that experience.”
Fifteen of the sixteen hosts will be traveling to Paris for two weeks to stay with their host students on May 27-June 12.

“We’ll be spending some time in the school. But mostly it will be exploring the city and probably doing some reflection, some journaling, some video blogs. Keeping track of the experience,” Brisebois said. The French exchange is a way for students to broaden their horizons and views of the world. Brisebois reflected, “It’s full of unpredictability, challenges, and also great joys and pleasures.”