LOOKING TO HOST IN JULY? ONLY TWO STUDENTS AVAILABLE!

If you are thinking about hosting during the month of July, now would be a good time to contact us at LEC to reserve a student and schedule a home visit. Many of the July students will be participating in a "Discovery" program near Manassas, Va., and the rest will come to Maryland and south central Pennsylvania. Of those students only two remain available.

Julie

Julie Cazeaud, 15, is from Paris. Her favorite subjects in school are history and foreign languages. She enjoys cooking and sometimes thinks she would like to open a restaurant in a foreign country. She also enjoys playing with younger kids and participates in dance and badminton.

Adelaïde

Adelaïde Vincent-Lardy, 16,  comes from the Paris area, where she is in 11th grade in an all-girls boarding school. She likes volleyball and climbing, as well as music. Eventually, she would like to be a surgeon. She wants to improve her English and hopes to visit Washington, D.C. while she is here.

Drop us a line at jkrsmr@comcast.net or phone (717) 545-2979 to learn more about LEC and to explore hosting one of these French students in July.

Quite a number of August students are still available. Please look at their profiles here.

GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS HERE

DON'T WAIT -- CLICK HERE NOW TO SEE THE STUDENT YOU COULD BE HOSTING THIS YEAR!

Profiles are arriving regularly from Paris! You can review the students'  descriptions, some of their likes and dislikes, see some photos of most (be sure to scroll to the end, especially if there is not a "mug shot" on the first page), and read a letter from the student to you, the potential host family.

If you find a particular student who would best fit in with your family, send us an email, and we will put the student on hold and schedule a host family visit with you.

Review the Application Form and the Host Family Handbook (it tells you everything you ever wanted to know).

SUMMER 2012 STUDENTS ARE LINING UP NOW FOR VISITS

Welcome to the 2012 session of LEC, the French student homestay program. This is the fifth year that LEC Capital Region has been matching students and host families in the Harrisburg region (and surrounding counties) for the fun and excitement of an international friendship.

Believe it or not, we have already received the first student profile for the summer 2012 visit! Here's what the two summer sessions will look like:

July 5-25: Immersion -- 11 students (staying with the family only; no meeting with other students; no planned excursions by LEC). The chaperon will stay near Washington with the other half of the group, which will have classroom studies while there. The chaperon will be in contact with students during their visit and will be available to them by phone at any time.

August 2-22: Immersion --  24 students and a chaperon.

To read a complete description of the LEC experience, please see this blog entry. Then click on HOME to return to the most recent blog entry, or the back arrow to return to this one.

As student profiles arrive, you will find links to them in this blog. You can consider which student will best fit in with your family. We have found that whether you like to do the same things or not, every experience is beneficial, and everyone learns new things.

I am pleased to say that some of our LEC host families have visited their students in France. Others have had return visits from the student. Many keep in touch by email or Facebook -- even Skype! Hosting a student is the first step in what may be a life-long international friendship.

For more information, write to LEC Capital Region at jkrsmr@comcast.net. 

LONG-LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Published: Thursday, September 08, 2011, 12:44 AM, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa., Letters to the Editor

Editor:

Recently, 17 French students and their chaperones spent three weeks in the greater Harrisburg area through LEC, a French agency with American coordinators.

Each was hosted by a family willing to share their lives with their guest. They made sure the kids got plenty of chances to practice their English and to meet extended family, friends and neighbors. All of the host families took their students to see the sights of our own region and further afield to Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York City.

They visited amusement parks, museums, baseball games and county fairs. They ate burgers galore, watched movies, had their pictures taken in classic American sports cars, and at least one did volunteer work for a church in the city. LEC visits are meaningful for student and host families.

As coordinator for this region, I want to thank those wonderful families who welcomed the students and showed them how caring and generous Americans are. I also want to thank The Patriot-News for publicizing this program. You have given these French students some long-lasting impressions of our great nation.

JOHN K. ROBINSON, Lower Paxton Twp.

2011 LEC CAPITAL REGION SEASON COMES TO AN END

On August 24, eleven French students and their chaperon left central Pennsylvania for the two-hour trip to Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Virginia, with pick-ups in Linglestown, Camp Hill, and Dillsburg.

At Camp Hill, we gathered the students and host families present for a photo and presentation of souvenir American flags. Due to time constraints, we were unable to video the traditional "Waving of the Flags."   :-)

The kids were airborne a bit later than 4:30 p.m. and arrived in Paris a little early around 6:00 a.m. Paris time the next morning. A long trip, and no doubt bittersweet.

Those of us left behind felt a sadness, too (I even saw some tears!), and began to miss the students who had been a part of our lives for the previous three weeks.

We thank all of the families who hosted this year, in July or August, for the wonderful experience you gave to the kids. Your generosity and kindness are always amazing to watch.

Paul Seymour

Thanks, also, to my sister Rachel Bair of Enola, who drove the luggage van to the airport and back (no doubt with a stop at the Gettysburg Outlets), and a very special thanks to Paul Seymour of Grantville, who, with his wife Ellen, hosted the chaperon this year.

When I had to have eye surgery on the morning of the return to the airport, Paul stepped up and drove the van in my place. Thank you, Paul -- you saved the day!

MATTHIEU, of Carcans, France

Nineteen year-old Matthieu comes from the region of Aquitaine in southwestern France. He spends summers working in his father's campground. He's fond of music, plays the guitar, and loves paintball! His English is quite good, and he was anxious to try it out with an American family. He had the pleasure of staying with a family in suburban Mechanicsburg. His American "parents" and two teenaged "sisters" made sure he had an excellent experience.

And the proof is in the pictures:

 Matthieu, left, stands with new American friends and

his two host "sisters" on the right.

 Matthieu and some friends visited the

National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.

Posing outside the Aquarium.

Matthieu with the US Sloop-of-War Constellation,

(1854-1955), now berthed at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

 John-Sébastian, left, also a LEC student,

and Matthieu admire a rock band's tour bus.

 John-Sébastian, Matthieu, and his American hosts

in Lafayette Park, near the White House 
in Washington, D.C.

Strolling down the boulevard in Washington.

HÉLÈNE, chaperon, from Mantes-la-Jolie, France

Hélène is ready to serve.

The LEC chaperons who accompany students from Paris to the United States are generally certified teachers. Hélène is no exception. As a teacher of English, she has chaperoned groups to Great Britain before, but this is her first time in the United States.

She has been busy keeping track of students' whereabouts, but found time today to prepare some French crêpes with apple and lemon filling for her hosts, Ellen and Paul, who live in the countryside near Grantville, Lebanon County.

The crêpes await the fillings.

LEC Capital Region coordinator John and his wife Susanne were invited to share in this special treat and then posed for some pictures with Hélène, Paul, and Ellen.

Watch this video to see and hear Hélène explain how to fold a crêpe and what fillings are popular in France.

It was delightful to get to know Hélène better and to spend time with Paul and Ellen, who have hosted two students and two chaperons in the last four years and who have constantly supported and spread the word about the benefits of participating in receiving visits from French students through LEC.

Hosts Ellen and Paul

Susanne and Hélène

 Lavender blooms decorate the lemon curd.

Hélène, Paul, and Ellen

Who wouldn't smile after crêpes made by a

great French cook and baker?

John and Susanne get their turn with Hélène.

ALEXANDRE from Paris, France

Alexandre and host dad Mark saw the White House while touring Washingon, D.C.

Sixteen year-old Alexandre lives in Paris, the capital of France. His adopted American town is Maytown, a lovely small town in the heart of Lancaster County, where he is spending time with his host mom and dad, two young brothers, and a little sister.

Here is what his host mother Tracy had to say about the visit:

"Here are some photos from our time with Alexandre so far. We have been very busy! We spent two days in Washington with him, seeing many sights and coming home exhausted.

"We have also been to a Barnstormer's baseball game, the Pennsylvania State Capitol building, swimming, and hiking at Governor Dick. We made cookies, visited a farmer's market and tried some shoo fly pie. We also took him to a wedding last weekend, which he really enjoyed.

"It's been a lot of fun having him here and while we are all very tired, we have enjoyed having a new member of our family."

 Nate, Drew, Mark and Alexandre enjoy the view from

the observation tower at the park at Governor Dick

at Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County.

 Just before an unexpected opportunity to go on a tour

inside the Washington Monument, Drew, Nate, Mark,

Abby and Alexandre have some fun in the dramatic lighting.

Alexandre had an all-American experience when 
he attended a Lancaster Barnstormer's baseball game. 
Left to right are Alexandre, Drew, Mark, and Nate.
Behind them are Tracy's mother and daughter Abby.