French Exchange 16 March-24 March 2011

New Providence High School welcomed students on March 16th from Lycee Corneille in Rouen. 20 sixteen and seventeen year olds and 2 teachers stayed with us for 9 days. We thank all the students and families from New Providence who took part and accommodated all the students. As well as enjoying time with their new American friends, the French group visited Princeton, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and toured the neighbourhoods of Manhattan. The French students really lived the American life, they not only spent time with their host families, they enjoyed shopping, bowling and went walking to Point Pleasant while playing on the pier. New Providence showed their sense of community during the farewell dinner where students, parents and teachers shared memories of the trip. Our guests also attended lessons at school for two days.

We thank Madame Drouin and Monsieur Sajous who accompanied the group and hope they enjoyed New Providence hospitality.

Uma Padmanabhan, a 3^rd grader in Mrs. Magarino class at Salt Brook Elementary school invited her older sister’s French exchange student to share stories about her native country, France. Axelle was visiting Aditi, for a week as part of the New Providence French exchange program at the high school. Axelle and Aditi visited Salt Brook Elementary school on March 18th and spent the morning in Uma’s class. The 3^rd graders welcomed the two with open arms and a hand made welcome poster. The class made her feel happy. Axelle and Aditi read an adorable short story, "A village in Normandy” to the young children. Axelle read it in French and Aditi in English. The class had many questions for her about France and she answered it all in French and English.

They then handed out French cheese for the class. Axelle was very moved by how welcoming the class was to her, she told us time and time again of how special it was. Thank you Ms. Magarino for kindly welcoming Axelle to the school.