Clinton News-Record, 1985-08-14, Page 2•
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Valerie Bertrand and Carole Christophe accompanied Wesley Delve, of Clinton, on his
trip back from France. Wesley was on the Rotary International Youth Exchange for 11
months and found it to be a valuable experience. His sponsor was the Goderich Rotary
Club. (Anne Narejko photo)
one in a
BAnne Narej
Tko
CLINTON ,- "It went by too fast" was
Wesley Delve's response when asked how he
enjoyed his 11 month stay in France. "When
I first came back I was homesick for
France."
Wesley was part of the Rotary Interna-
tional Youth Exchange that allows students
to experience life in other countries. For
Wesley it was 11 months of speaking a dif-
ferent language, eating different food and
seeing different sites.
"France was really nice. I had a school
year in a foreign country, but I didn't pay
too much attention to my studies," hp said.
At first everything was new to Wesley, in-
cluding the school system and the people. A
school day in France could run to 6 p.m. and
students could pick their major but also take
all the other courses. However, Wesley was
given special allowances because he was
there to see the country and explore the
French life more than get good grades.
The 18 -year-old Central Huron Secondary
School (CHSS) graduate studied French in
school, but found the speed at which the
natives spoke the language a touch too fast.
"I had to speak nothing but French. It was
difficult at first because they speak very
fast, so for the first couple of months I wat-
ched television and read ,papers to get used
to the language," he said.
Wesley was sponsored by the Goderich
Rotary Club and his host was the Vitry-Le-
Francois Rotary Club. They arranged for
him to lodge with three families, one for
each school term. He had little difficulty
•
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'34 '
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lifetime ch
a0PtiP14to the new
very receptive leaPite their ..04i4i
nature. , . •
"The people 'hi the north-eastern Partti,.
France were piore closed and careful not to
open themselves to strangers quickty. • •‘' '
- school it took a long time forthepe to
accept me as one of them. It was difficiilt at
first but I made some good friends and I felt
warmly welcomed by the end of the year,"
he explained.
Wesley found the lifestyle which the •
French lead to be slightly different than the
lifestyle of Canadians.
"The houses, TV and radio are basically
the same, but it (everyday life) is slower.
The standard of living is a'little lower.
"Meals are an important family time,
especially on a special occasion when a
meal could last for four hours," Wesley ex-
plained.
French food was another new experience
for Wesley. He took full advantage of the op-
portunity to try the many.new tastes.
. "I enjoyed the food a lot. It was very, very
good," he said. "They have cheese with
every meal and bread in long, loaves and
plenty of wine."
Wesley adjusted well to life in France. On-
ly on the second day did he feel homesick,
realizing that he would not see all of the
familiar people and sites in Clinton ,for a
year.
But he quickly got over the feeling and by
Christmas he felt so at home in France, he
was nhiP tr, qoPPnt being away from his
fmyforthe holidays.
PO family gent presents and I felt as
IWO I was. part of the first fzupily I was
lodging with,' he said.
Coming back to Canada was difficult for
Wesley because he found it "hard to read-
just." But to hang on to the tirne he spent in
France a bit longer, Wesley is showing three
of his French friends around Ontario.
Benoit Henry, the son of the first family
Wesley lodged with, was also on an ex-
change program and Wesley caught up with
him at the conference for exchange students
in Grand Rapids. He brought Benoit home to
Clinton with him as well as two friends,
Carole Christophe and Valerie Bertrand,
from France.
Wesley and his family are trying to show
the trio as much of Ontario as they can. In
only six days, they visited Perry Sound,
Algonquin Park, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto
and Niagara Falls. Benoit has since return-
ed to France, but the Delve family intends
on showing Carole and Valerie Canada's
Wonderland as well as a few other sites
before they leave on August 11.
Carole and Valerie can speak English and
are enjoying their stay in Clinton.
As for Wesley, he definitely intends tc
return to France some day and would go on
a similar exchange program if the oppor-
tunity every came his way.
"I'd recommend it to anyone who was
considering it. It's a once in a lifetime
chance."
•
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