HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-07-28, Page 3l,ucknow Sentinel, Wednesday. July '28. 1993 - Page :I,
Australian exchange student gains second family
by Debbie Davidson
She may be half a world away from her family and
home, but Francine Savage has found a second family
and home in St. Helen. .
"It's like she's one of our own," said Sharon
Burgess.
Sharon and Mike Burgess, and their children
Charlene, 14, and Gregory, 10, are Francine's host
family in the Education Foundation for Foreign Study
exchange program. Francine, who celebrated her 16th
birthday while in Canada, is from Melbourne, Victoria
Province, Australia.
Francine's two families have a lot of similarities.
Sharon said she and Francine's mom both like
country music and country crafts, while Mike and
Francine's father share an interest in flying.
When Francine applied to the program in early
1992, her first choice was to come to Canada. After
being interviewed for the program, she "waited and
waited for ages" to hear if she had been accepted.
Finally, she called them to find out the decision. It
was good news and on February 1, 1993, she arrived
in Canada.
As a host family, Sharon said they wer4 able to look
through the applicants who wanted to come to
Canada.
"We chose who we thought would best blend into
our own family, and we lucked out with this one,"
she said with a laugh. "We had to restructure our
family. because our daughter, who was the oldest, is
now the middle child. They (the kids) have their ar-
guments, but they work them out on their own."
Area co-ordinator
for foreign study
exchange program
is in Walkerton
Sharon and Mike thought about being a hosifamily
for awhile before deciding to try it.. They heard about
the program through Diane Muir; area co-ordinator
and family friend, from Walkerton. The fact there
were about 75 students still needing placement in
Canada helped make up their minds.
Francine said she's missed her Mom and Dad, her
older sister and two younger brothers.
Sharon Burgess, left, with "new daughter" Francine Savage.
"1 didn't think 1 would muss them, but I think they 11' respect me a bit
more when I get back." .
Francine was a Grade 10 student at F.E. Madill Secondary School in
Wingham and involved herself with the school's production of Joseph.
She. also joined the Lucknow Air Cadets which has given.her the oppor-
tunity to do a bit of local travelling. Through cadets she's visited the
Hamilton Air Show, Ipperwash air base, H.M.C.H. Haida near Ontario
Place, and camped at the Maitland Valley Conservation Area in East
Wawanosh.
The family has also taken Francine on trips to
Niagara Falls, Toronto and Skydome.
Coming from Melbourne, with a population of
about 700,000, to the Hamlet of St. Helens was a bit
of a shock for her.
"I couldn't believe it, but there's some good and
some bad here as there is anywhere else. The people
are nice and friendly. You get to know people better
here, and there's not as much crime as there is in a
city. 1 also like all the space and horses."
Australian snow
didn't give her an
idea of what snow
is really like
Just before she left Melbourne in February, which
is Australia's summer, she went to a ski hill near
Melbourne to get a feel for snow: However, the snow
was basically mush at the time and it gave her no
indication of what snow is really like.
"I like the snow. It's different. At first I found it
too cold, but then you get use to it," she said.
And she's also getting a feel for what a good
Canadian summer is.like this year. She had heard this
summer was going to be like last year's, but it's
turning out to be different than forecasted.
She's also had a taste of going to and from school
on a school bus and she found it to be very different.
Back home she uses the public transport system,
where as here she rides the school bus.
"I really didn't like the school bus because my
knees would hit the seat in front of me, and the roads
are really bumpy."
Still and all, Francine said she'd like to come back
to Canada some day.
"And we'd like to go down there and visit Francine
and her Gamily someday," said Sharon. •
Francine packed only four shirts to come to
Canada. She's going home with at least 21' shirts as
she's picked them up where ever she could.
But she'll be going home with more than just extra
shirts. She'll be going honie with memories worth
more than any • material souvenirs packed in a suit-
e- case.
•
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