FRIENDSHIP and confidence are what Singleton High School’s French exchange student Cosette Eon said she would take back to her homeland after her five month exchange.
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“What I’ll remember most about the trip is the friends I made and my host family who have been so kind and patient with me,” Cosette said.
The year 11 student said that she was made to feel welcome from the very first day and it was easy to make new friends.
She arrived in Australia in February and immediately noticed the huge difference in weather from her small town Britain in western France.
“The weather is much better here,” she said.
Cosette said her English speaking skills have improved immeasurably during her time in Australia, which is one of the reasons she was interested in visiting.
“I can understand it now and speak a lot more words, and there are only a couple of times when people can’t quite understand what I’m saying because of my accent,” she said.
Host student Stella Danks said that when Cosette first arrived they had trouble understanding her and had to use head nods at times but were determined to help.
After getting over the language barrier the new student started excelling at school, thoroughly en joying it.
“The teachers were really great and patient and would answer all my questions if I had trouble with certain words or phrases,” Cosette said.
Cosette hasn’t just been staying in Singleton though travelling to Sydney, Canberra, Queensland and other towns such as Condobolin, and trips to the beach were common during the summer months.
Some of the big cultural differences to France that Cosette noticed during her trip was the more relaxed attitude that Australians had to life in general and the food eaten.
When it came to schooling French students start school earlier and leave later than Australians they also have a lot more subjects to complete.
Her peers threw a surprise going away party yesterday and vowed to visit her in France one day .
Cosette also hopes to return to Australia to see all her new friends.
Year advisor Bob Collins said that the exchange program was a great success and that the students at Singleton High School were also learning a lot about different countries and cultures from their foreign friends.
“It’s a great learning experience for all,” Mr Collins said.
