Edu-Culture Immersion (ECI)

Spanish is the second most common language spoken in the US.  It is spoken by more than 10% of Americans.  It is also the native language of my wife's parents, so it is no surprise that my daughter has taken Spanish in school for most of the past ten years.  But as she approached her Junior year in high school, she decided to add a second second language, and registered for French class.  French is spoken by about .5 % of Americans, so this was an unexpected choice.  Maybe it was her fascination with the fashion industry, or her love of French pastry and cheese, or distant memories of standing atop the Eiffel Tower when she was five years old.  It was in the spring of 2012 when her French teacher recommended a program called ECI.  They were looking for host families that would be willing to bring a French student into their homes for three weeks, as the French students immersed themselves in American life and culture. 

My daughter wanted to participate, and I have to admit it sounded perfect.  I was glad to think this could be a way for my daughter to learn more about the language and culture of France.  And since the whole family has an enthusiasm for travel, this seemed like an inexpensive way to "travel" to Europe by bringing a bit of Europe to us.  And maybe most of all, we were excited to show off our home town to a student from far away. 

It's not every day in this quiet leafy suburb that a large man rolls up to the house on a Harley in a black leather jacket. But we let him in the house with a smile and a firm handshake. This was the Chicago area representative of Edu-Culture Immersion (ECI), and he was going to explain the ECI program. He brought with him the profiles of a number of applicants who wished to participate in the American immersion program.  The idea, he explained, was to find a student who would be a good match based on common interests. We quickly narrowed down the list, and finally found our match when we discovered a student from Lyon.  We felt that Lyon, as the third largest city in France and with similar weather patterns, was at least superficially similar to Chicago.  And this French student's interests (travel, music, politics, dance) mirrored our interests exactly.  The odd coincidence that she and her family had been in London the past winter at very nearly the same time we were may have sealed the deal.

Mademoiselle (Mlle) arrived from Lyon in July, and we immediately started to immerse her in our lives.  We fit more activities into three weeks than we might have otherwise done all summer long.  On the first night, we introduced her to our neighbors at a small party.  She attended our daughter's dance classes, and had a chance to see the local high school, grocery store, library, movie theater, and more. 

We went to the Taste of Chicago on Saturday, July 14, and then went to Daley Plaza to attend the French consulate's Bastille Day celebration.  We held a family birthday party so Mlle could meet some extended family.  We brought her to see my band perform at Montrose Beach, and the next weekend brought her to Milwaukee to see my other band perform.  Mlle enjoyed the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry.  We spent time at the beach at Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan, after having gone blueberry picking in Indiana.  My cousin hosted us for a boating party on a lake in southern Wisconsin.  We also had some relaxation time, as we watched movies (some French, some American), and discussed books and politics and music and school.  Mlle spent time learning sewing from my daughter, exercise routines from my wife, and I taught her "Girl from Ipanema" on guitar.  She made us some traditional French dishes, and we made some American breakfasts for her.

During those three weeks, Mlle was as polite and friendly as could be.  It was a whirlwind visit, and she had really grown on us all.  In such a short time, she had become part of the family.  It was with heavy hearts that we faced the end of the three weeks. 

On the last day, we exchanged some small gifts, and traded notes to express our appreciation and hopes for the future.  It was at this time that Mlle extended an offer for us to visit her family in Lyon.  We weren't sure it could ever be arranged, but we were grateful for the offer.  As we left her at the airport, we wished her Bon Voyage, and watched her as she faded into the sea of teenage students from France saying their goodbyes.

It didn't take long to realize that a trip to France was exactly what we needed.  We knew that we would love her family, and though we had been to Paris many years ago, we had never been elsewhere in France.  This was an opportunity to see the true France.  Lyon, where over a million people live and work, was founded in Roman days and was a capital city during the Renaissance.  Today, it is the undisputed gastronomical capital of France.  We've made our arrangements, packed our bags, and will be there in 48 hours.  Allons-y!