The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
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French students visit Saline schools
Saline students to travel to France as part of exchange
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 8, 2008
They missed experiencing Halloween as they had hoped, but 25 students from France last month finally had the chance to spend two weeks in America with their exchange families in Saline.
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The students were initially scheduled to arrive in late October — just in time for Halloween — but a countrywide transportation strike in France resulted in a cancellation of their flight from Paris and disrupted the exchange program's calendar.
The visit was re-scheduled for April 10 through 26, and this time went off without too many hitches.
The French students stayed with host families, most of which have a Saline student who will then travel to France in June to stay with their French "sibling."
"It's a wonderful program. The kids aren't tourists here. They have the opportunity to get a true taste for American life in a very safe environment, staying with just one family and traveling with classmates and teachers from their own school," said Linda Duvall, a retired teacher who coordinates the program in Saline.
During their stay in Saline, the exchange students attended middle school classes and took a walking tour of Saline, including stops at City Hall and the Weber-Blaess one-room schoolhouse.
Other planned events included several potluck dinners at various host family homes, a field trip to the University of Michigan, a welcome breakfast and a farewell dinner.
"The exchange program gives the kids an opportunity to use their skills and share their culture while growing globally," said Jamie Aumend, who teaches French in the middle school.
French flags flew downtown during the students' visit.
Just completing its third year, the French-American student exchange program is open to students who will be in the seventh and eighth grades in the fall.
For more information on next year's exchange program, contact Jamie Aumend at 429-8000, ext. 5012 or aumendj@saline.k12.mi.us.
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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