Exchange

Having an exchange student living with you is pretty cool.   But we find that it helps to remember: these kids wrote their self-descriptions with an eye to sounding appealing to your average parent. They aren't lying -- well, usually -- but they perhaps aren't telling the complete truth. 

Such as when our current student said in her introductory note that she enjoyed reading and being at home with her younger brother.  Both true.  But not here.  As she put it when I asked her why she goes out so often with girls she's met here, despite leading us to believe she was more or less a homebody - That's when I am in France.  But this may be my only chance to come to the US, so I need to do as much as I possibly can - and if you're not doing something, I need to hang out with friends who are. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my time. 

Ah.