The start of the September school year could be a little different for those who agree to become a host family at AFS Champagne. The regional branch of the AFS Vivre sans frontières association is looking for volunteers to accommodate foreign students. The association hopes to increase from four to ten families in the Marne.
Anyone can become a host family
This year, the Champagne section welcomes four international high school students. Among them, Béla and Pedro. These Swiss, German and Brazilian high school students have been staying since January and until June with Rémi Eyssautier, departure manager at the association. These young people aged 15 to 18 stay with volunteers for a quarter, a semester (around 5 months) or a school year. “There are no specific criteria for becoming a host family. Everyone can accommodate regardless of their age (adults in a relationship, single). Other information likely to reassure non-bilinguals: the practice of a language other than French is in no way a prerequisite. The aim of the stay is for these teenagers to learn French and immerse themselves in the local culture.
“A visit is carried out to see in what conditions the young people will be accommodated. We then create a file. Subsequently, it is the families who choose the young person”, details Rémi Eyssautier. Again on file. In the latter, the future resident details his personality, his expectations regarding his stay in France – whether he prefers to live in a city or in the countryside, for example – and attaches photos.
Although families are not paid to welcome these young foreigners, “canteen and boarding school costs, medical or school insurance costs, transport costs are reimbursed”. Daily living and travel expenses are the responsibility of the guests. “There may be an agreement with the young person’s family for them to participate. You should know that families often create a Whatsapp group to give each other news and send photos regularly. Links are forged. We quickly make friends on the other side of the world”testifies this volunteer.
We quickly make friends on the other side of the world
On the administrative side, the Marnais simply have to take care of the registration of foreign students in the local high school. “The AFS representative is there to help them”, reassures our interlocutor. And this will be the case during the entire stay. “We try to meet the young person and their family several times to make sure everything goes well. » And that’s usually the case.
Information on the AFS website, “Become a volunteer” tab. Contact for the reception manager in Champagne-Ardenne: [email protected]
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