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Anna Haig's avatar

You capture this time so well! It took me right back...

I too got packed off on a French exchange in the 80's. It started well, our inner city school was buddied up with a school from Leeds. I hit it off with a boy from that school and we got 'friendly' on the Dover-Calais crossing. Very unfortunately, I was one of the kids staying on the outskirts of Paris, with a slightly odd family, away from all my friends. I mean, the family could have been okay, but my only memories are of them making me dodge the ticket machine, when they dutifully took me into the centre of Paris. I also remember one of the kids staring at me in the shower, through frosted glass. I remember horrific floral wallpaper and bedspreads, and eating mounds of crepes with fried eggs on top. I may have mustered a 'merci' but I don't think any other French was muttered. It was a strained stay. My absolute focus was being with my friends.

Did anyone have a productive exchange?

It was creepy, but not surprising to hear of the dad who did dubious stuff with you, ergggh. I'm pretty sure this kind of thing is the reason kids don't get plonked into families anymore, or if they do, they're heavily monitored/selected!!

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Catherine Leigh's avatar

As ever - a great read, Tess. I went to Denmark for my exchange - and stayed with a hot boy, the only girl to be paired with a boy!

When I returned the favour and he visited us he gave me a ceramic dove as a gift - I hang it on my Christmas tree every year and think of that time. I can’t quite recall his name but I do remember I read a Gilly Cooper novel on the ferry over - Polo! What a time to be alive 😂

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