We had the pleasure of hosting four exchange students from France in our home in DeRidder, Louisiana USA.  We have found the French to be very courteous, and hospitable. They treasure their independence greatly.  Many people in Louisiana are of French descent.  We enjoy having them as friends and neighbors.  We enjoyed having these young people share their lives with us and become a part of our family.  Each is listed below in the order in which they came into our lives.
 
 

	Laurence Bouyssou is from Paris, France.  She lives in an apartment near her father Henri, and her mother Roseline.  Laurence is an only child.   Her father is in business and her mother is a home maker.  Laurence came to our home in the summer of 1987 for one month.  Laurence was the first exchange student we hosted in our home.  Laurence is a very lovely and intelligent young lady.  Her English is extremely good, with a very nice French accent.  Her mother is studying English, and is quite modest about her accomplishments. They are a lovely family!  Laurence graduated from a University in Paris and is now working for a banking firm in France.  She travels over much of France in her work.   Henri and Roseline must be very proud of Laurence.  We enjoyed Laurence's visit so much that we decided to host seven more students in later years.
Laurence Bouyssou	Come again soon!
Reserved for Anne-Catherine Pelissier	Anne-Catherine Pelissier lived near Besancon, France (400 kilometers from Paris) with her mother when she visited with us in the summer of 1988.   Her father is a surgeon in France.  Her mother was a Chargee De Mission (Curator of a Museum?) in France.  Anne has two older brothers, Pierre and Francois and one older sister (can't find her name).  Anne loved swimming and horseback  riding.    Anne-Catherine was sixteen when she came to our home in 1988.   She is in her early thirties now.  She was a very lovely young lady.   Anne-Catherine speaks English very well.  We have finally reestablished contact with Anne-Catherine after many years.  She is an attorney with a well established law firm in France  We wish her well and hope she has a good life. We hope to see her again some day.
Anne-Catherine Pelissier	Come again soon!
	Camille Cossin lives in Annecy, France, near a beautiful lake.  She lives about 40 kilometers from Geneva, Switzerland.  The mountains and the lake are absolutely beautiful.   She lives with her father Gilles, her mother Claudine and a younger sister.  Her father is an engineer and her mother is a nurse.  Camille is very active in sports (doing, not watching).  She loves swimming, sailing, boating, tennis, skiing, fencing and volleyball to name a few.  Camille was sixteen when she came to our home for one month in the summer of 95.  She returned in the summer of 96 and the summer of 97.  We would love for her to return every summer! Camille is very intelligent and has a lovely smile.  She has a sharp wit and a sudden smile.  A photographer has to be quick to catch it on film.  You can get very comfortable having her around.  Our daughter Amy and Camille are the same age.  Camille brought a friend (Sophie) with her in the summer of 97.  Camille is now attending a University about two hours from her home.
Camille Cossin	Come again soon!
	Sophie Londes lives near Generac, France. Generac is located near the Mediterranean Sea.  Sophie lives with her father, mother and brother.  Her father is a businessman in  France.  Sophie enjoys volleyball, cycling, piano, and dance, both classical and modern.  She is very intelligent and has a winning personality.  Sophie is now attending a University in France.          We didn't have a chance to get to know Sophie as well as we would have liked.  My wife's father became seriously ill and went into a hospital while Sophie and Camille was here in the summer of 97.  We hope she can come again.  We also hope to be able to visit her and her family in their country in the future.
Sophie Londes	Come again soon!

We have hosted eight foreign exchange students in our home, beginning in 1987.  We had four from France, three from Brazil and one from Laval (suburb of Montreal), Canada.  We stay in touch with most of these students and their families. Some of the exchange students came for a month during the summer months.  Some came for one school semester (five months).  Two of the students came for an entire school year.  It was a delightful experience for us, our children and our grandchildren.  We love each one more than they will ever know.  My wife and I plan to visit these young people and their families within the next two or three years.  Two of the students have made return visits,  one with her mother.  We arranged to host these students through two different organizations, Nacel and P.I.E.  No compensation is furnished to the host families by either of these organizations, but the rewards are well worth the cost.  The students do have medical coverage and their own spending money.  The host family  supplies shelter, food and transportation.
 

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