These questions have been frequently asked by either parents or students.

What if my French isn’t very good?

There is a lot you can do to prepare before you go to France. Some schools organise some extra lessons for the students before they go. By the end of the stay you may find you are even able to think and dream in French!

What if we don’t get on with other?

Hopefully you will get on but if you are struggling then there are things that you can find to do together, listening to music, helping each other to learn new words, playing card games etc. There will be other members of the family that you can talk to too. Even if you are not going to be the best of friends you will still learn a lot and experience something different that you will always remember.

Most people do get on really well as you are matched very carefully with you partner.

You may have siblings of the same age or similar pets etc that will make you feel more at home in the family.

What will I do when I am there?

Apart from being part of a French family for two weeks, and possibly sharing a holiday with them, there are plenty of other activities which you might enjoy.   Remember that you are the guest of a family and they will plan activities which would interest both yourself and your partner. They want you to be happy. 

When you go to France you will be going to a really beautiful area and in the summer you may spend a lot of time at the beach.

What if I don’t like the food?

There are bound to be things you don’t like eating.  There are probably lots of foods in England that you don’t like either.  But don’t think that the French eat Frogs legs, Oysters or Duck on a daily basis.  They don’t!  Many such foods are delicacies which are eaten when dining out or at celebration meals.  You can tell your French family what you do like to eat and go to the supermarket with them to choose things.

If you are a vegetarian they may need some guidance as there are far fewer vegetarians in France. You may get to try new things that you really like.

 What happens if I am really homesick?

When you are in France your French family will look after you and want you to be happy. The accompanying teachers are also there and will come and visit you and take you out if you need a break from speaking French. You can also arrange to see some of the other students who are on the exchange. The first few days can be difficult but after that most students settle in well.

Does my exchange partner have to have their own room?

This is not necessary but if you have a spare room then you may want to give them the choice.

I don’t like flying – do I have to go by plane?

All students fly together and travel as a group with the teachers so you do have to go by plane. You will have chance to meet the accompanying teacher at the pre-exchange meeting before you go and you can let them know that you are nervous about flying.

Can they come to school with me?

If you are still on term time then the schools that work with the exchange are very happy for you to take your partner to school with you. If you go to France at Easter you will have time in school.

What will the weather be like?

It is usually much hotter even at Easter when you may be able to go to the beach.

If you go to France in the summer you are likely to have all of your meals outside and spend time on the coast.

Make sure that you take plenty of sun cream.

Do I need my own passport?

You will need a full individual passport.

If you have anything other than an EU passport it is for you to arrange a visa for entry to France.

What will the weather be like?