Four days ago I received a mass-mailing -- an appeal from a woman who runs the organization that brought in the two French girls who stayed with us. It was a forwarded request from a different, but similar, organization, trying to find a place for another French teen. The catch: the teen is already here and living in Virginia -- but not getting along with the host family. They would like to get her out of their house.
I asked the sender why they were not getting along, and the response was After she had her introductory photographs taken, the girl dyed her hair blond, and the family doesn't like it. Seemed like a lame reason to want the kid gone. Then I learned and she got one of those gauge piercings in her earlobe, which didn't square with the host family. They're fairly conservative.
Hmmm. Tell me about her.
She's a 15 year old from Provence, she's friendly and energetic, she likes school, and she wants to speak American (not English). She's fluent in French, pretty close in English, and knows a little Spanish and a little German. Oh, and she doesn't know that we're looking to move her.
Well.
The best thing for her would be something where she gets to stay in her current school
but moves to a different host family in that area -- but none have popped up, hence the friend of a friend mailing. Our local school isn't thrilled about bringing in a foreign student three weeks into the school session, but after mulling it over, said Well, get her records sent
to us, we'll let you know next week.
My daughter likes the idea but at the same time thinks Wait, you mean when I am at home for Break, she'll BE there? Yeah, maybe..... And my wife says Sure, we can do that....we don't have to bring her to tourist places, like we did during the summer with the others, do we? Um, I don't think so. And I myself have thought what the heck am I getting into here? A new person, for almost a year?
So I'm half hoping it works, because I've wanted to do this - a foreign student living long-term with us - for a while. And I'm half hoping the local school says Nope, sorry, no can do.
3 comments:
Either way, you're a prince to volunteer. I'm sure it will all work out for the best.
I hope there is not a message here about a rebellious teen in the reason for her not getting along. I would try to question the "conservativve" family before taking someone on for such along time.
The person from the agency specifically said that the current host family is conservative, and didn't want a kid who wasn't, even though she is quiet and friendly. My feeling is that the agent is trying to make the kid sound desirable, without lying. I don't doubt that the kid could have problems, but we'll survive them. Probably!
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