LEC CAPITAL REGION

SUMMER 2012 STUDENTS ARE LINING UP NOW FOR VISITS

2012-01-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

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 probably stay with the other half of the group near Washington, which will have classroom studies while there.

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

To read a complete description of the LEC experience, please read 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

2011-09-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

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.

MANON of Paliseau, France

2011-08-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Visiting the State Capitol in Harrisburg.

Manon, 16, comes to us from Paliseau, a town in the suburbs of Paris. She is staying in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, with a family of parents and three young ladies. Manon hopes to be a journalist some day, and this visit to Lancaster County should provide a lot of insight for future articles.

Host mom Leah sent these photos to show the array of activities they have provided for Manon for learning and enjoyment. As you will see, it looks like the family is having a great time, too!

Leah wrote:

"We're having an absolute blast with Manon and have been sooooo busy. Finally getting some pictures to you! Let me know if you want more...we've got tons!

"We still have a lot on our agenda and not enough time to do it all."

Seeing the capital city, Harrisburg, from the boat

called "Pride of the Susquehanna." Susquehanna is
the Native American name for the wide, shallow river.

A trip through Hershey's Chocolate World has

put a smile on everyone's face.

Firing up the grill for Manon's first American hot dogs and 'smores.

Manon considers her next move in the card game Uno.

Manon enjoyed a trip to see the Atlantic with her American sisters.

A typical American birthday party was no doubt a first for Manon.

The French connection: Central Pa. families host exchange students through Paris-based organization

2011-08-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

From the Harrisburg Patriot-News. By Sylvia Grove. Published online: Saturday, August 13, 2011, 2:25 p.m.

From left, Linda Flowers, Cedric Mossuz and Rick Flowers.

A few weeks ago, a tanned, curly-haired boy with piercing blue eyes visited Paxtang [ed.: Paxton] Presbyterian Church.

“Oh, I see you’ve brought your grandson,” friends commented to Rick and Linda Flowers of Paxtang.

But this boy was not one of the Flowers’ relatives. He was Cedric Mossuz, a 15-year-old from Grenoble, a city near the Alps of southeast France. He arrived in Harrisburg on July 7 and was staying through July 27 under the auspices of LEC, a French exchange program founded in 1972. The Flowers were Mossuz’s host family.

“We don’t want him to leave,” Linda Flowers said. “He’s a gem.”

From their sunroom on Paxtang Avenue, the Flowers family admitted they had known little about France and had been nervous about opening their home to a student they’d never met.

“You hear horror stories [about misbehaving students],” Linda Flowers said. “But we decided to go for it. Three weeks isn’t too long of a stay; it’s manageable.”

Mossuz, one of seven students who lived in the midstate during the month of July, said he already had visited the West Coast with his family, but he applied to LEC to see the East Coast and get the added benefit of practicing his English, his favorite foreign language, with a real family.

The Paris-based organization, which stands for Loisirs Culturels à l’Etranger — Cultural Activities Abroad — focuses on building relationships through family homestays to enhance language skills and to promote cross-cultural understanding. The 2011 midstate LEC program included no academic instruction or organized student outings, just family time.

“We ask host families to provide room and board during the students’ visitation period, as well as hospitality and hearts and minds open to teaching and learning,” local LEC coordinator John Robinson said.

Families in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry, Montgomery, Lancaster and York counties have hosted 48 French students, ages 12-19, over the last four years.

During his visit to Harrisburg, Mossuz attended a Senators baseball game; liked the roller coaster, Fahrenheit, at Hersheypark; and, boated with the family on the Chesapeake Bay.

His only request while in America had been to visit the Abercrombie & Fitch at Park City Mall — he’d Googled it before his arrival. The Flowers family fulfilled his wish.

Mossuz took a picture of his first American doughnut and spent much of his free time hanging out with the Flowers’ three grandchildren in their pool.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had teenagers in the house, but from the moment we met him, I was impressed,” Rick Flowers said. “He came right out of the [LEC pick-up] van and shook my hand.”

Sylvia and the Lechene family with Dimitri.

In Bressler, Keila Mercedes-Lechene sits at a wide, wooden dining-room table with her 13-year-old daughter, Kilsia, and 14-year-old Dimitri Karayan. A native of Rhuis, France, population 137, Karayan also arrived in the area on July 7 through LEC. This visit was his first time in the U.S.

“I didn’t come to be a tourist,” Karayan said. “I came to the United States to be part of a family.”

His host mom, Mercedes-Lechene, is a native of the Dominican Republic. She has a bachelor’s degree in romance languages; is fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish; and, worked on the French island of St. Martin for eight years before coming to live in the United States.

Mercedes-Lechene previously taught at Milton Hershey School, where she would occasionally open her home to students on weekends. Now she is a freelance translator for legal and medical services.

She said she first heard about LEC when her husband, Shawn, brought home an advertisement. For her, there were little nerves or concern about hosting a student, just curiosity.

“My husband knew I’d be interested,” she said.

Mercedes-Lechene said she was eager to show Karayan her corner of America, enhanced by her own cross-cultural perspective.

Keila Mercedes-Lechene

“I know we are not the ‘typical’ American family,” she said. “So I was really intent on telling Dimitri how things were. But when I found myself talking and saying, ‘Now, this is typically American,’ it made me really see American culture all over again.”

During Karayan’s 20-day stay, the family visited Philadelphia, Hershey and New York City. Karayan also encouraged the family to spend time at home. He helped in the kitchen and kept his room clean. He even handed out sodas at the Harrisburg Invasion 2011 block party hosted by Harrisburg First Assembly of God.

“In the end, he just wanted to see daily life,” Mercedes-Lechene said.

Karayan saw Harrisburg as a “big city, with many stores,” which made Kilsia laugh.

“We sometimes see this place as so small, but for him, it’s different,” she said.

DETAILS:
For more information about LEC, go to www.leccapitalregion.blogspot.com or email John Robinson at jkrsmr@comcast.net.

The photo of the Lechene family with writer Sylvia Grove and the photo of Keila Mercedes-Lechene did not appear in the newspaper. John Robinson took them when accompanying Ms. Grove to the Lechene home. The photo of the Flowers family did appear, and the individual faces of the Lechene family appeared across the top of the page with people featured in other articles on the same page!

Our thanks to both of these families for being interviewed and to all of our host families.

I thought you might get a charge out of the comments that appeared online at the end of the article. They were obviously written by ill-informed readers! My responses follow each one. (I am "lecman!")

icejam August 13, 2011 at 5:35PM

the French poodle fotoed, was part of the exchange as well?

lecman August 14, 2011 at 6:51PM

Nope.

ryewinger August 14, 2011 at 2:47AM

These kind of programs are looked upon by applicants, observers and participants as one big goof off session for many different reasons.

lecman August 14, 2011 at 6:56PM

I beg to differ. I can speak only about LEC, and I know that students have given high ratings to this program. Their main goal is to improve their English, which they do through constant conversation with native speakers. They learn first-hand how American families interact. And they get to see a region of the United States that is an important part of our American heritage. The fact that families often host two or three years in a row, and sometimes for both summer sessions, is a testament to the value of the program.

hgunwilltravel4 August 14, 2011 at 2:28PM

The homeowners are paying for this travesty! More waste with our hard earned money by the bloated school districts! How much are the sponsoring families hauling in?

lecman August 14, 2011 at 7:00PM

The LEC program is not related in any way to a school district and is not funded by any governmental agency. Students pay for the opportunity to come to our region. Host families "haul in" for each week of the stay about the cost of a decent meal for four people. I feel safe in saying that every single host family has spent many times the stipend they received, in order to give their students a good experience.

A COMPLIMENT FROM FAR AWAY

2011-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

Last month the Mercedes-Lechene family of Steelton hosted LEC student Dimitri Karayan, whose name was mentioned in a newspaper article about the host family. It's interesting how the Internet takes people to all sorts of places they could never know about otherwise!

[To LEC Capital Region:]

Just read "The French connection: Central Pa. families host exchange students ..." in the Patriot-News online, which came to me because of my Google search agent on the term "karayan."

LEC sounds like a great organization; congrats to you, and to the organization.

Although my family and I grew up in Los Angeles, all four of us have studied French -- my children are fairly fluent; I have made several people in France good naturedly laugh with mine -- and have visited France several times. My wife and daughter are in Paris right now.

I teach accounting at a small liberal arts University in Los Angeles. If we can ever be of service, let us know.

-- Regards
John Karayan, JD PhD
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Accounting
Woodbury University

HÉLÈNE NICOLAS-ROSSI, chaperon, of Mantes-la-Jolie, France

2011-08-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

This year's LEC chaperon is a lovely French woman, mother of two teens, and a teacher of English in a school not too far from Paris and Versailles. Hélène has chaperoned before in England. Her American hosts are Paul and Ellen from Grantville, Lebanon County. They hosted another chaperone two years ago and do a superb job of balancing the chaperon's work duties and some fun and sightseeing here in the United States.

Her hosts recently wrote:

"Hélène Nicolas-Rossi returned to school, this time as a pupil in a one-room Amish schoolhouse during a day of visiting rural Lancaster County and learning about the way of life practiced by the area’s Amish population. She found the experience fascinating and gathered many photos to show her pupils back in France. This view of America is a far cry different from what she saw, a couple of days later, during a shopping excursion to King of Prussia Mall or what she will see during an upcoming trip to “The Big Apple!"

Interestingly enough, the Amish are the subject of lessons on the United States mandated by the French government. One of last summer's LEC students reported after returning home that our excursion to Lancaster County came to mind as he answered a question about the Amish on his final exam.

Hélène at home in France with her two sons.

MATHILDE of Poilly-lez-Gien, France

2011-08-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Mathilde and friend Laura visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Mathilde, 17, at left in the photo, lives near Orléans, located south of Paris in the central region of France. Her ambition is to be a teacher of French in an English-speaking country. Mathilde is staying with a family of self-described "talkers," so she is getting plenty of practice -- and that's a very good thing! Her American home is located in Palmyra, Lebanon County.

Mathilde's host mother, Karen, sent us these photos and a description of what's been happening:

"Here is a quick review of Mathilde's visit to the USA so far. A friend and I picked up Mathilde at the airport near Washington and drove straight to the Residence Inn in Bethesda, Maryland. We got stuck in a little traffic jam, but we just cranked up the music on the radio and sang along. Mathilde knew some of the songs, which was great! We arrived at the hotel around 4:15 p.m., and Mathilde went to take a nap, a 17-hour nap. She was more tired than she thought!

With a prehistoric creature!

"On Friday the fifth we all headed to the Metro Station in Grosvenor, Maryland. We passed a few French shoppes on the way. I tried to pronounce them, but it sounded nothing like what Mathilde was saying.

"Once we got on the Metro, we went into Washington, D.C. and got off at the Foggy Bottom station. We walked down to the Lincoln Memorial, then over to the Korean War Memorial, then over to the World War II Memorial, then we walked past the Washington Memorial on our way to the White House. Mathilde really wanted to see the White House so she was excited when we finally got a glimpse of it through the bushes.

"We then walked over to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, which we all enjoyed, and the Natural History Museum, where Mathilde got to hang out with some Dinosaurs and other creatures.

After a long day of walking, we got back on the Metro and then got into our car for the long car ride home.

"We stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings and Mathilde found that Buffalo Wings were a bit too hot and spicy for her taste, but she did like the honey bbq wings.

Mathilde watches as a future racehorse goes for a swim.

"On Saturday we took Mathilde to the Mountain Trail Training Center, where she got to watch some horses swim and enjoyed feeding the young future racehorses some carrots. Mathilde was still feeling a bit tired, so we took it easy the rest of the weekend watching, WWE and TNA wrestling, which is her favorite thing to watch. This is an activity that my husband Jim, Mathilde, and our son Aric enjoyed watching together.

"Monday was Jim's birthday, so Mathilde and I went over to my friend's house and we baked him a lemon cake with chocolate chips and chocolate buttercream frosting. Mathilde had never frosted a cake before, and she enjoyed doing that and getting to lick the spoon!

"Tuesday, Mathilde helped Jim get a few things done around the house because I was not able to do much due to a medical procedure I had that morning. We really appreciated her help!

"Wednesday, Aric took Mathilde to Hersheypark, and although she screamed and found them to be quite scary, Mathilde said the roller coasters were a lot of fun!

"Thursday, Mathilde and Aric were invited over to our friends' house for their youngest son David's going-away-to-college party. Mathilde enjoyed hanging out with David's friends, and they made her feel welcome."

Mathilde and Laura view the Washington Monument and the

U.S. Capitol behind it during their walk around Washington, D.C.

The monument was built 1848-1884.

Here's a visit to the White House, the world's most

famous residence, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

At Mountain Trail horse training center, closer to home,

Mathilde meets a future race horse then fed the house

some carrots as a treat.

At the end of Mathilde's visit, her host mother Karen updated us on her visit:

"Jim and Mathilde enjoyed watching a lot of WWE and TNA wrestling on TV. Mathilde is a big fan and knew every wrestler by name! As a treat we paid for the Summer Slam Pay-Per-View Event, and both Mathilde and Jim were on the edge of their seats from the excitement.

"Aric took Mathilde and two of his friends, Katy and Sydney, to see the Honda Civic Tour at Hershey Stadium. It is a concert featuring Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and Manchester Orchestra. Mathilde was so very excited because she is a big fan of the bands. She also found out that Sydney had just visited France, so they had a lot to talk about. The next day Jim let Mathilde play his electric guitar and she enjoyed being a rock star.

"We took a few shopping trips, but Mathilde's favorite shopping experience was at Park City Center. They do not have shopping malls like that where she lives. Our feet were hurting by the end of the day, but she loved shopping at the stores, especially Hot Topic, which is an American pop culture store.

"One day we drove down to Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, Lancaster County. I showed Mathilde where we used to live when we lived in town there. I pointed out all the Amish farms, and we saw several horse-and-buggies and lots of Amish people. Mathilde was fascinated by the Amish and mentioned that she and a friend had written a paper about the Amish for school, and she found them to be quite different than she imagined.

"This past Saturday we went back to the Mountain Trail Farm, and Mathilde got to meet the new baby horses and pet them. They were so cute. Mathilde fed them some peppermint candies.

"After we left the farm, we drove through Fort Indiantown Gap and came across a Merci Train car that was on display at the base. The Merci Train was a train of 49 French railroad box cars filled with tens of thousands of gifts of gratitude from at least that many individual French citizens. They were showing their appreciation for the more than 700 American box cars of relief goods sent to them by (primarily) individual Americans in 1948.

"The Merci Train arrived in New York harbor on February 3rd, 1949, and each of the 48 American states at that time received one of the gift-laden box cars. The 49th box car was shared by Washington D.C. and the Territory of Hawaii. Parades and ceremonies of welcome were conducted in the state capitols and major cities of almost all the states. We were so excited to have come across this train car and sharing the experience with Mathilde!

"Sunday we joked that we were going to take Mathilde on a trip across North America. We took her to lunch at Fiesta Mexico in Harrisburg, which is decorated inside like a Mexican Village. From there we drove up 322 and showed her the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the Susquehanna River. Mathilde liked that she could visit both Mexico and New York in one day without leaving the Harrisburg area.

"Monday was another shopping day as Aric needed a few items before he headed back to college. Tuesday we shopped again, but Jim and I took Mathilde to Penn National Race Track that evening to watch one of our race horses, Classe Signora, race. Mathilde really loves the horses.

"Today we brought Mathilde back to the LEC drop off point, and we all tried real hard not to tear up, but we were sad to say goodbye. We hope we have made as much a difference in Mathilde's life as she has made in ours. Thank you for allowing us to host this summer. All of the LEC students we have hosted have been wonderful!"

And LEC Capital Region thanks Jim, Karen, and Aric for being a fine host family.

LAURE rom Aigueperse, France

2011-08-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Seventeen year-old Laure Le Galle had a recent visit to Ocean City, New Jersey, during her stay with a family who lives in Mt. Joy, Lancaster County. This lucky LEC student landed in a family of mom with three girls and a boy who live in a charming old farm house outside of town.

Host mother LuAnn writes:

"Here's a pic of Laure and our crew at the beach in Ocean City! Laure is in the front - far left. We are here with another family, and we have a total of nine kids combined (the two boys are missing from this photo).

"The weather has been awesome. Courtney, Madison, and Laure woke up early this morning and went out on the beach to take pictures of the sunrise.

"We are heading back to Lancaster County tomorrow afternoon."

PAUL from Lez Bizots, France

2011-08-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Paul, a young Frenchman from Les Bizots, in the Burgundy region of France, is visiting a family near Hummelstown, Dauphin County. Paul's had a busy visit so far, and based on the family's activities with their LEC student last year, there is more of the same on the way. Here are some photos sent by host mother Carrie.

Paul, left, enjoys his first American burger (the "Burning Love Burger") at a local Red Robin restaurant. It looks like he likes it, and so do his American friend Jon and host sister Devyn. He had just celebrated his 17th birthday, so the staff serenaded him!

Paul tries out the American way of eating corn, not usually done in France.

Host dad Ray helps Paul with a card game, Apples to Apples.

On August 11, Paul's host mother Carrie sent more photos and this narrative:

"Today we took Paul to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. Paul, Taryn, Devyn and I had a great time. Even we big kids love the close encounters with the animals.

"Paul saw lots of animals that he never saw before, loved the safari ride and the petting zoo, and even ventured into the Reptile House, despite his fear of snakes! Brave young man!

"On the ride home, we stopped at 3B Ice Cream. Paul ordered his favorite -- banana split -- and was pleased that it was only $5.00. He said it was two times bigger than he gets in France and only half the price!"

Paul and Devyn meet Mr. Billy Goat.

Paul and his host sisters Taryn and Devyn

watch the giant tortoise taking a stroll.

A traditional American ice cream treat,
the banana split. (Why don't we call it
a split banana?)

On September 12, after Paul had returned to France, his host mother sent these pictures and told us about the last part of Paul's visit.

"Paul loved his trip to Indian Echo Caverns in Hummelstown. He thought the caves and the underground formations were impressive. Hershey Chocolate World was our next stop, and he liked the tour and looking through the shops. When he arrived in the U.S., we had a basket of Hershey treats awaiting him, and he is crazy for the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!

Cave dwellers?

Ready to board the ride through Chocolate World.

"Paul was impressed by the Capitol building in Harrisburg. Of particular interest was the grand staircase, which is fashioned after the Opera House in Paris. Next came a trip to the State Museum to find the Mastodon skeleton that was discovered in a bog in Pennsylvania. Also, we toured uptown Harrisburg where my husband Ray grew up, including a quick stop at Italian Lake!

Climbing the steps to the Pennsylvania State Capitol,

built in 1906 in Harrisburg.

Next door to the Capitol, the State Museum of Pennsylvania

houses this amazing pre-historic mastadon.

Italian Lake is a beautiful pubic park in uptown Harrisburg.

"Paul really enjoyed the atmosphere at Root's Market in Manheim. I am not sure what he liked better -- the huge outdoor flea market or the chocolate whoopie pies filled with raspberry crème. We enjoyed a huge buffet style lunch at the Hershey Farm Restaurant, so Paul got to try lots of local foods -- apple butter, shoofly pie, chicken pot pie. We also took a ride on the Strasburg Railroad and visited the train museum."

Even the rain did not dampen Paul's enthusiasm

for "Pennsylvania Dutch" whoopie pies at

Root's Market in Manheim, Lancaster County.

The flea market and shops were also attractive.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg

has a world-class collection of antique trains.

Right next door is the Strasburg Railroad, where

you can ride to Paradise.

It looks like Paul ordered everything on the menu

at the Hershey Farm Restaurant near Strasburg.

Paul and his "sisters" climb aboard the kind of

buggy our Amish friends drive. This one is at
Hershey Farm Restaurant.

"Amos" also stands outside the restaurant.

It looks like Paul would like to be Amish, too.

"Paul insisted that we visit places in Philadelphia that would be new to us, too…so we went to the Reading Terminal Market where they ate crêpes. Walked to Chinatown. And technically met the Philly Phanatic!

The friends had crêpes at the Reading Terminal Market.

Hey, it's the Philly Phanatic!

Visiting Independence Hall, where the Declaration was signed.

Thumbs up for Philly!

Welcome to Chinatown, Paul and friends.

"But no trip to Philly is complete without a trip to South Street. Paul loved shopping for a pair of American skinny jeans….he insisted on wearing them out of the store. And there is no stopping a boy and his cheese steak!

Skinny jeans for the French guy.

A real Philly cheese steak...worth the trip to America.

"Paul's first adventure in our travel trailer went very well, especially after he got over his apprehension of 'living like a gypsy.' Campfires, smores, and apple mountain pies were his favorite….it helped, too, that the campground had a hot tub! We were camping near Atlantic City.

American dad Ray gets the fire going for marshmallows.

Mmmmm. Smores! What better camping treat?

Time for some relaxation in the camp's hot tub.

"We visited the Atlantic City Aquarium that included a 'touch tank'…but found that Paul is a bit hesitant when it comes to creatures that are slimy or resemble snakes! No trip to the Atlantic City boardwalk is complete without a trip to the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.

"Aargh, maties!"

Come on, Paul, stick your hand in there!

Believe it...or not!

Hitting the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

"It is amazing the amount of fun three teenagers can have with cheap pairs of rubber teeth! We decided to check out the casinos one night -- they were incredible -- so much to do and eat! The kids went to see the new Harry Potter movie on the IMAX and checked out the shops and restaurants. Paul could not pass a Starbucks without stopping for a cup of coffee!"

Duh, ain't we purty?

"Mr. Trump is expecting us."

Paul has a need for Starbucks coffee.

Devyn, Jon, and Paul at Caesar's.

SECOND GROUP OF LEC STUDENTS IS IN MIDSTATE NOW

2011-08-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to the host families who have opened their homes to our young French friends during the month of August. Below are some links to materials you may need, as well as the profiles of all of the students. Have a great time!

Thanks also to those of you reading this who responded to our last minute need for homes for four boys. Several called after the boys were placed and agreed to add their names to our mailing list for next year. You can count on hearing from us!

Find out more about being a host family or tutor.

See Host Family Handbook here.

See Medical Instructions here.

Ten Things an International Visitor Wants You to Know.

JULY STUDENTS HEAD FOR HOME

2011-07-28T05:52:00.000-07:00

After three weeks of living the LEC experience with their American host families in south central Pennsylvania, the seven July LEC students returned yesterday to their homes in France. There were lots of hugs and kisses and a few tears as the students boarded the van for the trip to Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Virginia.

Many thanks to those wonderful host families and their friends and extended families who welcomed these French kids into their homes and took them into their hearts.

Here are some photos of the group's departure. Click on any photo for a larger version.

Shawn, Cédric, and Jacques-Edouard and their host families

gather for the last time at the East Shore departure location near Linglestown.

LEC Capital Region always presents a souvenir American flag

to departing students. Here all the kids hold their flags

while their host families look on.

The only obstacle between Harrisburg and the airport was a bridge

project over the Potomac River as we crossed from

Maryland to Virginia on U.S. Route 15.

Marjolaine and Agnès greet friends, left, as the Marie Parey,

a French teacher who served as the group's chaperon,

and Louse Lamy, Washington regional coordinator for LEC,

check in arriving students.

Marie, left, and Louise flash a smile as they continue their work.

Dimitri, Shawn, and Alexis share stories

about their stay in the Capital Region.

The long wait begins.

The entire group of students visiting in south central Pennsylvania,

Maryland, and northern Virginia pose for a group photo.

Click here to see the traditional farewell Waving of the Flags. (video)

Click here to see the students in the Great Hall of the airport. (video)

Find out more about being a host family or tutor.

WE'RE GEARING UP FOR SUMMER 2011

2011-03-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

The French kids are all registered, and their photos and profiles are making their way to LEC here in the Capital Region. That means it's time to invite area families to sign up now as host families for three weeks in either July or August. Students will be here and elsewhere in the United States July 7-27 and August 4-24.

We invite you to think about whether you would like to host a boy or girl and what characteristics you would like in a student so he or she will fit in well with your family.

To help defray expenses, host families receive $80.00 for each week of the student's stay. The French kids have their own spending money, are fully insured, and speak English well enough to make themselves understood. By the end of the visit, they should have improved because of the constant practice. Some of the French kids will be almost fluent when they arrive.

Many families have kids the same ages as the French kids, 13-19, but others have younger kids or no kids at all. All families are considered. Single women with a child are considered, but single men are not eligible.

You can find out almost all there is to know here on our blog. Take a look and then drop us a line at jkrsmr@comcast.net to arrange for an interview and informational meeting.

We look forward to hearing from you!

P.S. If you know of teachers who would like to tutor a student this summer, please have them get in touch as soon as possible. Thanks!

WELCOME TO LEC CAPITAL REGION

2010-09-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

La Tour Eiffel

While all our summer visitors have returned home to France, we are happy to tell you all about our program and the French kids and host families who participate.

You can look through the various entries on the blog (three years worth) and see what the kids have been up to while visiting south Central Pennsylvania. Keep in mind that the level of activity for the students depends solely on the time and resources you have to devote to it. Students come to experience American family life, which certainly can be limited to daily activities and the occasional day trip in our region.

The French kids are all in school now and have not yet begun to think about their plans for next summer. But when they do start signing up with LEC and their information starts to arrive here in March or April, we'll let you know on this blog that it's time to act.

In the meantime, please look at the blog entry that outlines our program and tells you how you can participate as a teacher or a host family.

If you need any information in the meantime, please call Capital Region coordinator John Robinson at (717) 545-2979 or send your e-mail address for spring 2011 notification to jkrsmr@comcast.net.

HOSTING A LEC STUDENT: THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

2010-09-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

Antoine, left, and Aric

Once a host family, always a host family -- or so it seems. Virtually all of the families who have hosted LEC students in the past three years have enjoyed the experience. Many still keep in touch, even as the years roll by. Many have had a second or even a third student.

One host family went the extra mile. When called upon by an August 2010 host family who had no teens in their family, a 2009 host family invited the LEC student, Antoine Bardonnet, to "hang" with their son, Aric, of Palmyra.

Here's what host mom Karen had to say about the off-year encounter:

"I just wanted to let you know that Amy A. had contacted me and asked if it would be possible for Aric to get together with Antoine a few times before Aric left for college.

"We moved Aric into Juniata College on Sunday where (right now) he is planning on studying Biopsychology. He is thinking of changing over to Philosphy/Politics/Economics with a French minor and try to work with the French Embassy in some way.

"Anyway, we did manage to get Aric and Antoine together twice before he left. On Monday, August 16, a group of Aric's friends from his French class came over to hang out with both of them. Later that evening, they all went to the Palmyra Brethren in Christ Church for their Youth Group, OUTLET, which is a party for the Middle School/High School Youth. Aric and his friends are in the youth group band, and Antoine was able to hang out and watch them practice before OUTLET started. Antoine joined all the other youth in singing and enjoying the music and youth mission trip testimonies and just hanging out with all the teens in general.

"Aric and Antoine got together again on Thursday, and Aric took Antoine to the Hershey Foods Corporation Inclusion Fest. It is an annual cultural festival featuring foods and entertainment from different cultures. After that, they went to the Hershey Outlets for some good ol' fashioned American teen shopping. Then they came back to our house and hung out with Aric's friends for a little while. After dinner, they watched some television and decided to go to see the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Aric said Antoine enjoyed the movie but thought it was silly.

"I could tell Aric and Antoine enjoyed each other's company. Next summer shouldn't be as hectic as this summer and we are hoping to take in a student or two again.

"We still chat with Marion [the LEC student they hosted last year] on Facebook, and she is getting ready to attend college in Paris. She is hoping to become a European Union translator.

"Thank you for continuing to think of us for this program."

To see how you can join in this program of international friendship, please read here.

AUGUST IMMERSION STUDENTS RETURN TO AIRPORT, HOME

2010-08-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

One student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.
Antoine, E., and Vincent left Harrisburg today at 12:30 p.m., heading for Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. This was the first leg of their journey to their homeland, where they will no doubt be greeted warmly by family and friends.

Host families and a friend met today to wish the guys farewell and see them off. It was difficult to get the guys to move toward the van. I was obvious that saying goodbye was difficult for everyone.

About a half-mile down the Interstate, we were overtaken by one of the families passing and waving Vincent's cell phone. We both pulled over and the exchange was made quickly. Vincent lost the chocolate chip cookie he was eating as he reached for the phone. It seems that Antoine had brought with him a bag of good things to eat and was willing to share.

During the two and a half hour drive. I overheard the boys talking about food (big burgers, especially), cars, signs announcing "Repent, the end is near," cemeteries, and their parents' countries of origin, among other things. There was a lot of laughter, some of it uncontrollable. E. talked so fast that my head began to spin.

Soon after we left Pennsylvania, the van got silent as the guys took a short snooze. Soon they awoke and began looking forward to our arrival at the airport.

We could not get too close to the terminal, so we trekked some distance across the parking lot, all the while guessing who had the heaviest suitcase and would need to pay for overage. As it turns out, they weighed their luggage in the terminal and were all under the 50-pound limit.

Our group was the second to arrive, but soon the Air France ticketing area was abuzz with LEC students. When Vincent's brother arrived (he had been staying near Littlestown, Adams County), the two were obviously happy to see each other. Guillaume had brought his brother a can of Red Bull, then opened his suitcase to display some souvenirs.

As soon as the chaperon Ania had checked in the boys and I had reported in to Louise Lamy, I was anxious to get back on the road and avoid some of the evening rush hour. Deb Bowers, LEC coordinator at Littlestown, took a picture of me and the boys (at their insistence, I might add!), and then we all shook hands, and I hit the road.

Once past the traffic, I took the opportunity to stop at a farm stand in Virginia and buy some apples, then had something to eat at The Shamrock Restaurant in Thurmont, Maryland. The rest of the trip home was uneventful. I was happy to have delivered our precious cargo and delighted that another summer of LEC students had shared a wonderful experience with their host families.

Guillaume Rolea shows brother Vincent some trucs he had bought.

Antoine, Vincent, John, and E.

The crowd gets larger and louder.

Louise checks off the host families.

LEC CAPITAL REGION PICNIC MARKS END OF AUGUST SESSION

2010-08-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

One student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.
Negley Park in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, opposite the City of Harrisburg, overlooks the city and the wide Susquehanna River. LEC Capital Region sponsored a picnic there last night for the three students visiting our area in August.

Antoine Bardonnet, E.A., and Vincent Rolea were the stars of the show. They enjoyed comparing notes and taking a little ride on the pavilion's big swing.

All three host families (and some of their friends) were present, and there were special guests, too.

Alex, Josie, and Andrea, who had hosted last year and in July of this year, helped to arrange for use of the large picnic pavilion at the park and joined us for the fun.

Paul and Ellen Seymour, whom you met in an earlier blog entry, attended, too. Paul and Ellen are strong supporters of the LEC program and were delighted to meet the three young visitors and their families.

David Volkman, retired Susquehanna Twp. educator, and Jim Dearden, in his last year of teaching at the Hershey School, also joined in the fun. Both men had served as van drivers for the July Discovery Group excursions.

The boys and their hosts gathered as American flags were presented (a LEC Capital Region tradition), and the boys were given a chance to say good-bye.

Everyone enjoyed the fun and fellowship, as well as the beauty of the setting, and we all enjoyed one last visit before the boys prepare to leave for the airport and the return trip home in two days.

Antoine Bardonnet and his host family enjoy the meal.

E.A.'s host mom and dad relax after dinner.

The three LEC students crowd

around the LECmobile.

Alex, Josie, and Andrea were hosts last

summer and in July this year.

Antoine, E., and Vincent hold the Stars and Stripes

as their host parents look on.

Some of the picnickers asked about recipes for two of the desserts at the picnic. Here they are:

Madame Albert's Cream Puff Pie

Boil together one cup of water and 1/2 pound margarine or butter. When boiling, remove from heat and add 1 cup of flour. Stir.

Add 4 eggs, one at a time. Blend thoroughly after each one.

Spread dough in a 8x12 greased pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Mix together:

8 ounces of softened cream cheese

2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding

2 1/2 cups of milk

Spread on top of cooled crust. Complete with a layer of whipped topping.

(You could also use chocolate or pistachio pudding for variety.)

Shoofly Crumb Cake

4 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 cup table molasses (light or dark)

2 cups boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

Mix the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and butter to crumbs, using a pastry blender or your fingers. Reserve one cup of the crumbs for topping.

Mix the molasses, boiling water, and baking soda, and gradually add to the major part of the crumbs until well blended. Pour this mixture into a greased 9 1/2 x 12 3/4-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbs on top, distributing evenly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes. (If you use layer-cake pans, decrease baking time to 40 minutes.)

E.A. TAKES WHIRLWIND TOUR OF NORTH AMERICA!

2010-08-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

The student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.
E. and his host family have been going non-stop since he arrived in the United States. Many LEC families like to take their students around the region. E.'s family likes going a little further. Carrie, E.'s host mom, describes a recent trip to Washington, D.C.

"Today was spent in our nation's capital. My oldest daughter Taryn came home from college with her boyfriend, and they joined us for our trip.

"Getting a total of seven people ready and on the road took longer than expected, so we were literally running to our first destination, the Washington Monument. The monument is the highest point in D.C. and gives an excellent vantage point. This was the first time for us to go to the top.

Next we walked to several monuments (Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial, and the reflecting pool), and we made a stop at the World War II Monument just as a bus load of WWII veterans arrived to see the memorial for the first time. It deeply moved all of us to see these men who risked everything to provide freedom to our country. Devyn and Taryn went up to several of the men and thanked them for their service.

"We next went for a quick bite to eat, and then headed off to the Capitol for a tour. Although the tour was nice, E. thought that our own state capital in Pennsylvania is a far more impressive building! On the way we stopped at the White House for a photo opportunity.

"The young people got too tired to walk back to the car, which was parked at the opposite end of the Washington Mall, so the old folks, Ray and I, had to walk back, get the car, and pickup the under-21 crowd.

"Yesterday was spent at the shopping outlets near Hershey and having fun in Swatara Creek on an old fashioned rope swing! Although I know E. appreciates all the trips, he seems to also appreciate the more laid back days spent closer to home, too."

The next stop on TourAmerica was Niagara Falls, New York. E.'s host family piled into their very cool RV and headed north. They did some camping and visited the world's most famous falls, managing to keep dry in the incredible deluge of water -- 150,000 gallons per second -- that falls 176 feet along the Niagara River.

Then they continued on into the Province of Québec, sometimes called New France, a vast area in eastern Canada claimed by French explorers but eventually lost to the English. Still, Québec, with its major cities Montréal and Québec City, retains much of its French character.

French is the preferred language in Québec, and E. says that he had a very hard time understanding the people that he met, because their accent is so different, and they use words not used in France. This is much like American English versus English spoken in Ireland or Scotland. This difference is also more noticeable in the countryside outside of cities.

E. and host dad Ray play footbag or

"hacky sack," a game requiring the players

to keep the bag in the air without using their hands.

E. and Devyn enjoy a slice of watermelon,

an all-American summer treat.

Ray, Devyn, and E. at the edge of Niagara Falls.

Carrie, Devyn, and E. try to keep
dry as they approach the falls.

A colorful eating place invites E. and Devyn to

"visit and enjoy."

E. inspects a soldier

at the Citadelle in

Québec City.

E. looks pensive in the doorway

of a shop in old town Québec City.

Ray, Devyn, and E. take a breather

before passing through the St. Louis Gate

into the only walled city in North America.

E. and Devyn stand in a park in Québec City. The

Fairmount Château Frontenac hotel is the prominent

building in the distance. The St. Lawrence River
is beyond the hotel.

VINCENT ROLEA ENJOYS LIFE IN SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP

2010-08-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Susquehanna Township is a crescent-shaped area surrounding the northern and eastern sides of the city of Harrisburg. Living there with his host family is 19 year old Vincent Rolea, of Soisy-sur-Seine. Vincent has been busy, but recently he found time to send some photos of his stay.

"Well, here's some photos of my trip so far: Most of them are from my camping trip near raystown lake in Pennsylvania with chloe ed and claudine and their dog scarlett. there's also are picture of me and Sade practising our baseball swing!" (above)

Vincent and his host parents, Ed and Claudine,

with host canine Scarlett.

Vincent and host sister Chloe

enjoy a moment at the campsite.

Raystown Lake is north of Harrisburg

in Huntingdon County.

What is more delicious than marshmallows

toasted over a camp fire?

Why, s'mores, of course!

"Hey, let's go over to Middletown. It's this way."

"No, it's that way!"

JEAN ROUANET MAKES THE NEWS

2010-08-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

When July LEC student Jean Rouanet arrived to participate in the Discovery Group, his host family was on a trip looking at colleges.

It was our pleasure to host Jean for one evening. The next morning, we took his picture on the porch. He was reading the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

We e-mailed the photo to the newspaper, and they published it, along with information on LEC, in the local news pages of the August 13 edition.

The Patriot-News has been very generous in helping to find host families for LEC students this summer, and we are very grateful to them.

ANTOINE BARDONNET GETS AROUND!

2010-08-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's a long way from St-Didier-de-Formans in eastern France, where 18 year old Antoine Bardonnet lives, to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where he is staying with a LEC host family.

As his visit with them comes to an end, Antoine's host mother Amy has sent us these photos and captions to let us know where the family and Antoine have been and what they have been up to.

Amy writes:

"I am emailing some photos of our adventures with Antoine. We are really enjoying having him as a member of our family for these few weeks. We couldn't have asked for a nicer student!

"The first weekend he was with us, Antoine offered to help with lunch, and he cooked a delicious dish that he said his grandmother often makes. He is a wonderful "big brother" to our children (ages 6 and 3), and I am very thankful that he is so tolerant of how long it takes our family to get out the door when we go places!"

The first Saturday that Antoine was with us, we went to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland. Before visiting the aquarium, we went for a ride on a dragon boat.

Another day, after some time at the pool, we had some fun playing games and making s'mores with friends from our neighborhood.

Last Friday we spent some time in Amish country!

We took a buggy ride, toured an Amish house,

and ate dinner at a smorgasbord restaurant.

The weather was perfect last Saturday when we visited Philadelphia.

After Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for lunch, we took in some of the historical sights.
Top: Independence Hall Bottom: Liberty Bell Center

Upon reaching the famous "Love" sculpture,

we all agreed we had thought it would be bigger!

"Besides our trips out-of-town, Antoine has also enjoyed seeing Chocolate World and the Hershey Gardens, visiting Hersheypark twice, swimming at the Hershey and Hummelstown pools, and shopping at the Hershey Outlets and Park City Center in Lancaster."

E.A. DISCOVERS THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH

2010-08-12T05:45:00.000-07:00

The student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.

Like most of our host families, E.'s wanted to show their student Pennsylvania Dutch country in Lancaster County. Here's what E.'s host mom, Carrie, wrote about their foray into Dutchland.

"E. and our family traveled earlier this week to Manheim, Pennsylvania, to visit Root's Farmers Market. E. spent all morning shopping for unique souvenirs for his friends and family at the giant outdoor Flea Market. He surprised host sister Devyn with his excellent talent at negotiating a better price with the vendors.

"He saw many Amish and Mennonite people selling their delicious fruits, vegetables, meats, and homemade sweets. He saw lots of horse-drawn buggies and was surprised to see the Amish children using foot powered scooters for transportation (they are bicycles with the pedal and chain removed, as is the Amish custom).

"We went to Bird-in-Hand Restaurant and Bakery for a smorgasboard lunch (a huge buffet filled with Pennsylvania Dutch food)! E. tried the birch "beer" soda but decided that he preferred plain water to drink with his meal. He did find that he really likes apple butter spread on his bread.

E., left, tries some Pennsylvania Dutch food

with host sister Devyn and friend.

"Our next stop was in the small town of Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Here E. learned how pretzels are rolled, and he got to make his own at the Intercourse Pretzel Factory tour. We stopped for fresh made lemonade and soft pretzels at Immergut Pretzels. E. was the one who knew the meaning of "immergut" is "always good" (thanks to his mom's German heritage).

"At the Intercourse Canning Company, E. got to sample lots of Pennsylvania Dutch food like chow-chow, peanut butter schmeir, and different jellies and jams. He picked out some treats for family back home!

"The next day, E. was off to Hersheypark to ride amusements with Devyn and some of her friends, and they also are meeting Antoine and his host family. They will visit the Hershey outlet stores as E. tells us that he loves to shop. Ray and I plan to stay home and get the camper packed for our upcoming trip to Niagara Falls and Quebec."

E.A.'S HOST FAMILY PROVIDES A WHIRLWIND FIRST WEEK

2010-08-10T06:19:00.001-07:00

The student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.

LEC student E.A. has come all the way from Palaiseau, France, just southwest of Paris, to spend three weeks with a host family near Hummelstown, Dauphin County.

Host mother Carrie describes the adventure so far:

"We are having a great time with him!

"We took him to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, and he enjoyed the safari ride. He could not believe the elk that came right up to his face for a cracker. He also loved the buffalo burger that we had at lunch.

"We took him to my friend's 50th birthday party. He had a wonderful time charming all the ladies with his accent and dancing with the little kids and Devyn. He learned the Chicken Dance and the Electric Slide. He is so much fun; we all love him.

"We went to Harrisburg and toured the State Capitol of Pennsylvania. E. was impressed with the beauty of the building's sculpture and art work. He took many pictures!

"He also took a river boat ride on the Susquehanna River with us. And E. showed Devyn his skills at miniature golf, although she beat him by four points.

"We met up with the other two French students and their host families at a Harrisburg Senators baseball game. E., Antoine, and Vincent were so much fun. They all got into the spirit of American baseball with the cheering and dancing in the stands (especially E.—he loves to dance)."

And later, Carrie added more news...

"Another full and fun day with E. in the U.S. Monday we traveled to Philadelphia and saw the symbol of American freedom, the Liberty Bell. We toured Independence Hall, where our Declaration of Independence was signed and got to see two additional rooms in the building that have not been viewed by the public for a few years.

"Then we were off for lunch at the City Tavern, a wonderful restaurant that serves delicious foods. E. got me to try the schnitzel, as he said it was a favorite of his. You will have to ask him about the wonderful molasses and pecan biscuits that were a recipe from Thomas Jefferson.

"We walked to the seaport of Philadelphia, and got to tour a submarine (E. had a story he shared from his grand-father's experiences on a submarine) and we also went through an old ship called the [Spanish- American War-era cruiser] Olympia. We went to the Seaport Museum and saw a movie in "4 D.” You could actually feel the breezes from the sea!

"Next we were off to South Street, a shopping district in Philadelphia. E. bought himself a nice pair of Ralph Loren sneakers for $30. He thought that was a great deal.

"Before we left Philadelphia, we stopped and got E. a genuine Philadelphia cheese steak sandwich....because you cannot visit Philly without one!

"Tomorrow we are taking E. to a huge farmer's market and to see and learn about the Amish people of Pennsylvania. He had already seen an Amish family the day we visited Lake Tobias Wildlife Park and was very interested in their simple way of life."

E. says, "Bonjour" to the ostrich at

the wildlife park.

An elk loves the cracker E. offers.

Carrie and E. in the rotunda of

the State Capitol. The stairs are

patterned after those in the

old Paris Opera.

E. visits the Supreme Court

Chamber in the State Capitol.

His host parents join E. on the Pride of the

Susquehanna riverboat.

Host sister Devyn whoops the

Frenchman in mini golf.

All three French students met up at the Harrisburg

Senators baseball game on City Island.

Vincent Rolea wears the red and white stripes; E. has on

the blue and white stripes; and Antoine Bardonnet is second from right.

E. tries his hand at steering the ship

at Philadelphia's seaport.

THREE YOUNG MEN ARRIVE FOR LEC HOMESTAY IN CAPITAL REGION

2010-08-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

One student in this entry has asked in 2012 that his identity be hidden for Internet security reasons. We are using his initials instead.
This afternoon we headed to Dulles International Airport to greet three young Frenchmen (and their luggage) and bring them back to the Capital Region for a three-week homestay with area host families.

E.A., Antoine Bardonnet, and Vincent Rolea were among a group of students from all over France who arrived at Dulles. Their plane was late, the result of unsettled weather in the region. They circled for awhile, then landed safely and proceeded through customs.

As the students and their chaperon entered the waiting area, they were greeted with shouts of welcome and hand-made signs, all thanks to their host families.

It was easy to spot the three Capital Region guys, as they are among the oldest and tallest in the group. We gathered, then checked out with Louise Lamy, the general coordinator for the Washington area, and trekked out to the parking lot to find our van. After the luggage was loaded, it was en route for Pennsylvania for us.

Because of the weather delay and the long lines in customs, our trip home (with little traffic) landed us in Hummelstown around midnight at the home of one of the host families. The others soon arrived, and the guys were divided up and whisked off for some much-needed sleep.

I was greatly impressed with the three, all of whom said thank you for the transportation and commiserated about the long wait we had endured at the airport. How refreshing to find such polite and caring young men! A good start to what promises to be a memorable LEC experience for everyone.

Sincere thanks go to the three host families, of Hummelstown, Hershey, and Susquehanna Township for their gracious welcome of the students.

Antoine

E. A.

Vincent

THANKS TO A SPECIAL COUPLE

2010-07-31T18:23:00.000-07:00

Paul and Ellen Seymour, of Grantville, Lebanon County, are special friends of LEC Capital Region.

Two years ago, they hosted a young lady named Raphaëlle, who had a wonderful time with them. They are still in touch.

Last year, they hosted a young man from Paris, and later the chaperon of the Immersion Group staying all over southern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and northern Virginia.

Not only have they been exemplary hosts, but they have been LEC Capital Region's greatest boosters.

They have helped to place students by posting ads in local libraries and businesses; spoke to friends and neighbors; passed out informational literature to organizations of which they are members; and even volunteered to speak to prospective hosts by phone or at public meetings we have held.

This year, they were unable to host but continued to encourage and support LEC with recruitment suggestions and ideas for excursions and activities.

So, thank you Ellen and Paul, from all of us who have benefited from your kindness and generosity.

ELOÏSE LAMBERT DELIGHTS HER HOST FAMILY

2010-07-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

A Mechanicsburg-area host family had a wonderful experience with LEC student Eloïse Lambert of Palinges, a small village in central France. While every experience is different, we're happy to say that this one is not uncommon!

Here's what Eloïse's host father wrote to us:

"When we agreed to host an exchange student, we were a little apprehensive. We'd heard horror stories about the people who hosted a Spanish boy who never stopped complaining, or the French girls who would only talk to each other, or the British girl who only wanted to hang out with others from her country. What would we talk about with this person? What if she didn't like our quiet life, our food? What if we didn't like her?

"As it turned out, we were the equivalent of the lottery player who won the jackpot, first time out. We got Eloïse.

"Initially, because she spoke very, very quietly, and her English was tentative and halting, we thought this is going to be hard. We managed. We resorted to the French dictionary a lot. We mimed. And we used Google Translate, both for the phrases that a dictionary didn't have, and, through Facebook, to exchange notes with her parents about how she was and what we were doing.

"We took her to Philadelphia to see the Cleopatra exhibit (it fascinated her) and the Liberty Bell (she was mystified). She spent time in the neighbor's pool (turns out, she's part fish), and she went tubing. We baked together (she makes great chocolate meringue cookies), using a recipe she'd brought from home. We took her with friends to Hershey Park, where she exulted in the water slides, and to Indian Echo Cavern.

We went to DC, where she walked along the railing of the White House, stood in front of the massive Lincoln sculpture, and, just to get away from the heat, stopped in at the Willard Hotel for tiramisu (she pronounced it 'excellent'). We traveled to a relative's house in Connecticut, where she attended a barbecue and toured Mystic Seaport. We took her to Times Square, where she was startled by the noise and the crowds.

"And we took her to Liberty Island, where she looked up at the Statue of Liberty, and said quietly to my wife, 'My dream has been realized.'"

"As time passed, she began to get more confidence in her ability to speak in English (and we learned a little French, too). We figured that we had a breakthrough when she laughed at a joke at the dinner table, even though we hadn't spoken more slowly just so she could understand. She visibly relaxed, and as for us, we almost forgot that she hadn't always been there. We treated her as a member of the family.

"And that's what she became."

LEC Capital Region thinks Eloïse won the lottery, too!

(Photos, top to bottom: Eloïse with New York skyline; crossing Seventh Avenue; at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

IT'S A FLAG-WAVING FAREWELL FOR JULY LEC STUDENTS

2010-07-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today the July Immersion and Discovery Group students left our area and headed to Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Virginia--and France!

As they gathered for the departure, they received a souvenir miniature U.S. flag from LEC Capital Region, and their host families joined in a rousing, flag-waving farewell.

LUCIE AND ANAÏS BID FAREWELL TO TOWN AND FAMILY

2010-07-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Like of all the other students, Lucie Gérace and Anaïs Ragon got ready to leave today by saying farewell and packing up. Their host mother comments:

"The last day with the girls was spent with last minute shopping and taking pictures to remember everything.

"We spent part of the day at Colonial Park Mall and then had a delicious lunch of ice cream at Dairy Queen. It may not have been healthy or very nutritious but it was delicious.

"The rest of the day was spent doing laundry and trying to pack.

"The time has gone quickly. Just as you start getting to really know the students, it's time for them to go home. It's been a great three weeks."
(Above) Lucie and Anaïs walk in Annville's historic district.

Anaïs and Lucie eat "lunch" at Dairy Queen. Yum.

The girls hope their bags weigh under the limit.

A lovely host family portrait makes a great souvenir.

CLARA REPORTS ON HER STAY IN THE STATES

2010-07-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Clara Zmuda, who stayed in Linglestown, offers the following report, written as she prepared for her flight home to France:

"There are lots of things that change between America and France. In the

United States

, everything is bigger like the city, the buildings, schools… The Americans are really friendly. They always want to help.

"Some things surprised me like the teenagers can drive a car and work earlier than in France so they are quickly independent. When you meet someone, they look really happy to meet you.

"I liked visiting the big cities like New York City and Washington DC and living with the Americans and discovering their habits. I like that they try to help me understand what they say.

"In America I went to New York City and Washington DC for the first time. For the first time I also played mini golf, laser tag and yahtzee. I had peanut butter and jelly, stromboli, and Hershey’s chocolate for the first time.

"I like being in America!"

And we liked having you here, Clara. Bon voyage !

LUCIE AND ANAÏS VISIT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, MT. GRETNA

2010-07-25T03:12:00.000-07:00

Lucie Gérace and Anaïs Ragon are still on the move. Recently, they visited two great American cities, Washington, D.C., and New York City. They also enjoyed a quieter time at tranquil Mt. Gretna, a summer resort and former Chautauqua in Lebanon County.

Pat, their host mother (shown with them and her granddaughter at the White House), tells us about their New York trip:

"We had a great time in NYC. It was really hot, but we survived.

"We did a combination boat tour and bus tour so the girls could get an overall view of the city without doing so much walking in the heat.

"The boat took us around the harbor and past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We only had time to do the downtown tour, but it was great. We toured Greenwich Village, SoHo, and Wall Street, and drove past Ground Zero and much more.

"The girls were thrilled with the shopping and purchased many souvenirs for family and friends. They really liked the Toys R US store and the M&M store. Lucie said she took over 300 pictures. They really seemed to enjoy all the sights and sounds."

Anaïs and Lucie with another famous Lady.

Now, that's a b-i-i-i-i-g M&M!

The girls enjoy some ice cream at the famous

Jigger Shop in Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County.

They spent some quiet time at home, too, with their

host family's newly-adopted grandson.

LEC STUDENTS SEE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY IN FINAL DISCOVERY GROUP EXCURSION

2010-07-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

The weather was sunny and hot, but that did not deter the Discovery Group from having a good time in Lancaster County during the last excursion of the three-week stay. The purpose of all three excursions was to introduce LEC students to the region in which they are staying.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Landis Valley Museum
The day began in Linglestown, where host families dropped off their students for the 50-minute trip to Lancaster. Our first stop was Landis Valley Museum, a nineteenth century crossroads village and farm museum. In the visitor center, an excellent orientation film introduced the eighteenth century Germans who migrated to Pennsylvania from their homeland. Their art, industry, and agriculture were described.

Then it was time for the real thing. We walked to the village tavern where we saw the kitchen tools and learned how food was prepared. A guide had a fire roaring, ready to start the day's cooking.

When we came out of the tavern, we were greeted by a wagon with long benches, pulled by two horses (click to see the video). Once we were all seated, the tour began as our guide described the buildings we were passing. We passed through the village and continued on to the farm area, where quaint log buildings and gardens are used to demonstrate farming techniques.

Our next stop was the general store, where we saw many items that had been offered for sale to the villagers, and in the corner the post office where mail was still found in the "in" boxes.

Soon we found ourselves back at the crossroads hotel. There we enjoyed sticky buns, snitz (dried apple slices) and cider as the guide told us how the nineteenth century hotel, like the tavern, was a center for news, refreshment, and lodging, much as it was at the eighteenth century tavern we saw in York on our second excursion.

We visited the Victorian home of the Landis Brothers, the men who collected the thousands of artifacts and several of the buildings now found at the museum.

Our last stop was the gun shop, where the students were shown how guns were made and used for hunting.

Before leaving, we stopped at the Weathervane Shop, where the group saw some beautiful handmade crafts, books, pottery, and many other items reflecting the time period of the museum.

Kitchen Kettle Village
A popular destination in Lancaster County is Kitchen Kettle Village, a group of shops and eateries with a "Pennsylvania Dutch" theme. It's located in the village of Intercourse. As we drove into town, the kids saw a number of Amish people in their horse-and-buggy transportation. Chaperon Salima Erraiani, who had already done some reading on the subject, reminded the students of the Amish simple way of life and told them that the Amish preferred not to be photographed.

We had a nice lunch at the Kettle Café, and then gave the kids time to shop on their own in this safe environment. Meanwhile, we chaperons found a shady spot and watched the world go by.

Village Greens
Miniature Golf
Our final stop of the day was at Village Greens miniature golf in Strasburg, home of the Strasburg Railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. We passed by its sturdy German-influenced houses and found the golf course with only one small detour.

By now, it was hot as blazes, but the kids got in the mood during the first hole and completed the whole course. There was time for drinks and ice cream in the snack bar before we climbed back into the big white van and headed home.

Additional photos from the Lancaster excursion:

The LEC groups listens as the guide in the tavern

describes early cooking methods.

The horse-drawn wagon pulls into the farm area of

the crossroads village and museum.

Authentic old log buildings were moved to the site.

The wagon arrives at the general store.

Jean captures the scene for

his photo scrapbook.

Inside the store, an informative guide describes

the products available in the nineteenth century.

(l. to r.) Maryse, Annabelle, and Eloïse enjoy a

Pennsylvania German treat and listen as the guide

speaks about activities in the old hotel.

Antoine examines his sticky bun while Vincent

looks a bit tentative about tasting it.

Here's the parlor in the Landis Brothers'

Victorian house.

Chaperon Salima Eraiani strolls towards

the Yellow Barn, ahead on the left.

Mathias looks down the barrel of a long rifle

in the gun shop.

Annabelle takes her turn staring down

the barrel of the gun.

Landis Valley Museum guide and van

driver David Volkman have a chat.

The 19th century meets the 21st in this

tin lighting fixture on the gun shop.

Maryse is a good sport and models

a farm bonnet in the Weathervane Shop.

A beautiful antique redware plate is on exhibit

in the Landis Valley Museum visitor center.

Salima dances for joy outside the

Visitor Center.

Back in the van, the students head for

Kitchen Kettle Village -- and lunch!

The girls' table at Kitchen Kettle Village.

The boys' chow down at their table.

Salima tries a veggie hoagie, some chili

cheese fries, and shoofly pie.

The Discovery Group gathers for a photo with

Yummie, the gingerbread mascot at

Kitchen Kettle Village.

Jean, Antoine, and Charlotte form

a team at Village Greens mini-golf course.

At the end of the excursion, the kids walk to the LEC

van, but two opted for a ride in the LECmobile at right!

CLARA ZMUDA ENJOYS AN EXCITING VISIT BEYOND LINGLESTOWN

2010-07-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

Click on any photo to enlarge it.
Clara Zmuda, who lives near Rouen in north-western France, came to stay with a host family in Linglestown, Dauphin County. Her host mother has provided this breathtaking survey of Clara's visit.

"Clara has been quite busy since she arrived in Harrisburg. In addition to the group excursions, she has had several new experiences ranging from a visit to New York City to discovering peanut butter and jelly (quite possibly her new favorite food).

"The first weekend Clara and [LEC student] Ayla were introduced to a dozen or so of Lauren’s teenage friends. They spent the evening playing “soda pong,” Apples to Apples game, talking, and making Some-mores.

"The next morning, we were out of the house early for a road-trip to Dewey Beach, Delaware. After a few hours of sun (too much for Clara – she ended up with a sunburn), and playing in the ocean, the girls were off to the outlets for shopping. Both Clara and Lauren were happy with their purchases.

"At Sports Emporium in Carlisle, Clara played miniature golf for the first time and really enjoyed driving a go-kart. After those activities, she played numerous arcade games and was able to get a “prize” with the tickets we had all accumulated. Unfortunately for her, we were not very successful at the games and there were only enough tickets to get some “silly bands."

"Hersheypark was the next adventure. A group of the French teens met and explored the park with the help of two of the American teens, Lauren Rittle and Samantha Wood.They rode several of the roller coasters (Fahrenheit was Clara’s favorite) and spent a few hours in the water park.

"The following day we took a trip to Mt. Gretna Lake. Clara was coerced into jumping off of the high dive and taking a turn on the trapeze swing. Charlotte came along with us that day; however, she was content to just float on the tube.

"The highlight of Clara’s visit was a trip to New York City last weekend. She was overwhelmed by all of the activity of the city, the crowds of people and the tall buildings. She said she had never seen anything like it before. Ayla was with us on this trip, and the girls must have taken at least 100 pictures! One of our first stops in NYC was the Abercrombie store (yes, we waited in line to enter the store). I’m not sure if it was the male models or the clothing that was the biggest attraction for the girls.

"We saw Times Square at night, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. We also stopped at Canal Street for some shopping and did “window shopping” at Tiffany’s and Bergdorf’s. Those stores were a little too expensive for us. The girls also took the New York Subway while we were in the city.

"On this past Tuesday, Charlotte [LEC student Charlotte Rouanet] spent the day with us and we headed to the Park City Mall in Lancaster. The Abercrombie store was again the first stop and both girls were extremely happy with their purchases. Sweatshirts for under $20.00! This was significantly less than the prices paid in New York.

"Yesterday we showed Clara the sights in Washington D.C. She got to see the White House and the major monuments in the city as well as visit a couple of the Smithsonian Museums (Air and Space, Natural History). The heat got the better of us, and we headed back to Harrisburg in the rush hour traffic."

ANAÏS AND LUCIE ARE ON THE GO WITH HOST FAMILY

2010-07-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

We all know that the LEC French kids have boundless energy, but our host families are really keeping up with them! Here's a report from the host mother of Anaïs Ragon and Lucie Gérace in Annville, Lebanon County:

"We had a busy day today. We toured Indian Echo Caverns, visited Starbucks (the girls requested this), and went shopping at the Hershey Outlets.

"They had a great time looking at all the different decorations at Christmas Tree Hill, and we spent quite a bit of time at the book store.

"However I think the Disney store was the one they liked best.

"After shopping, we went to Heyshey's Chocolate World for more shopping and, of course, the free ride through the exhibits explaining how chocolate is made. After a dinner of pizza and subs Anaïs and Lucie went to see the movie Toy Story 3. The last stop for the day was at Dairy Queen for some sweet treats.

"I think we will head to Lititz tomorrow to tour Wilbur Chocolate and the pretzel factory."

As the three-week LEC visit draws to an end, perhaps a quiet weekend at home is in order. Nah, probably not!

THIS E-MAIL JUST IN! There goes the "quiet weekend" theory.

We are Anais and Lucie.

Everything is right here and our host family is very nice with us! This afternoon we will go to the theater and on Saturday we will go to New-York. We are really happy.

Have a nice day, see you.

VINCENT RABAULT FITS RIGHT IN WITH HOST FAMILY

2010-07-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Most LEC kids have the gift of fitting in wherever they are, and Vincent Rabault is no exception. His bright smile and outgoing personality are enlivening things with his host family in Linglestown, Dauphin County.

Vincent's host mother has mentioned to us before what a great time they're having with Vincent. She has sent the following note and some pictures to prove it:

"It has been a joy to have Vincent join our family for a few weeks. He fits right in with the local teenagers, and they all sing popular American songs together.

"Right after he arrived, we had a welcome party for Vincent with about 25 teens and ten adults. They all swam in the pool, jumped on a trampoline, played on a slip 'n' slide, and had a bonfire.

"The next day, we headed for Stone Harbor, New Jersey, for a few days on the beach. Vincent joined our extended family in enjoying the water, the boardwalk, and nightly card games.

"When we returned from the shore, [LEC student] Mathias came to visit. The four boys went to a local kids' talent show and then returned for an evening of video games and cards.

"Last Saturday we went to a friend's annual picnic, and Vincent got to ride on two different Harleys. The smile on his face was priceless. Later we went to the Harrisburg Senator's baseball game, and Sunday we went to Knoebel's Grove, an amusement park north of Harrisburg. Vincent loves to ride the roller coasters.

"Today, we visited the National Civil War Museum. The boys will go to HersheyPark tomorrow, and on Friday the family is off to Washington, D.C."

It's incredible what our host families are doing for LEC students! They are making memories that will last for a while lifetime. And, of course, the LEC kids are enriching our lives, too!

Photos above, top to bottom:

1. Vincent, host brother Logan, family friend Kaleb, and LEC student Mathias Rotellini play card games.

2. Vincent with his board in the surf at Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

3. That helmet looks pretty good on Vincent as he tries on the Harley for size.

Vincent, Joey, Alex, and Ryan do a little

skim boarding in Stone Harbor.

Vincent and his host family enjoyed a Harrisburg

Senators baseball game on City Island.

Family friend Brad takes Vincent for a ride.

Host sister Cara follows Vincent on the

flume ride at Knoebel's Grove Amusement

Park. Cara gave him the thrill of getting

all wet first!

The kids had their ups and downs on the park's

wooden roller coaster.

LUCIE GÉRACE AND ANAÏS RAGON ARE THRIVING IN ANNVILLE

2010-07-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

Two French girls who were friends before they arrived in the Capital Region are having a ball in Annville, Lebanon County. Their host parents are LEC veterans, having hosted three students in two sessions last year. And they have a whole bunch of grandchildren to show Lucie and Anaïs around.

The girls' host mother writes:

"Saturday we did a bit of shopping and then had dinner at the Batdorf Restaurant in Annville.

"On Sunday we packed up and went camping at Twin Grove Camp Ground in Pine Grove.

Lucie and Anaïs are on the right.

"Several grandchildren, nieces, and nephews went along. There were eight kids in the group.

"Despite the heat, we had a good time. The kids had a big campfire and sat around till the wee hours talking and laughing. The girls enjoyed making s'mores, too.

"A severe thunderstorm was predicted for Monday evening, so late in the day we packed up and headed home.

"On Tuesday the girls went to see the Twilight movie and spent the rest of the day hanging out. We had some time to just talk and get to know each other better."

CHARLOTTE ROUANET ENJOYS LIFE WITH THREE SMALL BOYS

2010-07-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Charlotte Rouanet,16, comes from Pessac, near Bordeaux in southwestern France. This summer, she's visiting a family near Hummelstown in Dauphin County.

Charlotte's host mother recently reported on the goings-on in this house with three little boys!

"We have thoroughly enjoyed having Charlotte stay in our home. She is kind and helpful and willing to try just about anything (except playing backyard American football with our sons)!

"Last evening we took Charlotte to the American Idol concert at the Giant Center in Hershey. What could be more American than an American Idol concert? She enjoyed herself, and her favorite performer was Crystal Bowersox. She even knew some of the songs and sang along.

"Earlier this week, she had the opportunity to get together with other American teenagers and a student who is here from Spain and staying with good friends of ours. They enjoyed this international evening and after a home-cooked meal, they went to Starbucks, Target and Old Navy. Charlotte came home "all smiles." She especially liked Old Navy.

"We have younger children, but Charlotte has been very gracious and patient living in a home with three little boys. Our youngest, Cole (in the photo with Charlotte), adores her, and I anticipate him being quite sad when she leaves us. We look forward to more interesting experiences to come."

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

HISTORIC YORK IS FOCUS OF SECOND EXCURSION

2010-07-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

York, Pennsylvania, is not only historic because of its age and connection to the American Revolution, but it's known as the "factory tour capital" of Pennsylvania. The LEC Discovery Group decided to see just what the area had to offer.

Amid pouring rain, the LEC van picked up students at both east and west shore locations. Then we headed down the Interstare highway and made our first stop at the Wolfgang Candy Company. There is an elaborate check list of proper clothing, cleanliness, no nail polish or false nails, closed-toe shoes, etc., so there was a period of about ten minutes in which we were all examined for proper attire. Then, the pièce de résistance, a lovely blue hair net to control our unruly locks.

Once examined and netted, we headed down the street (the rain had abated to a light mist) to the main manufacturing area, where we saw how candy was formed, covered in chocolate, sorted, and packaged for shipment. In one area, robot eyes and arms checked chocolate covered biscuits for quality, rejecting those unacceptable ones, and reaching over to grab the good ones and place them in a box. Its long spider-like arms were sort of creepy, but fun to watch. The two machines were called Lucy and Ethel, after the famous scene of candy packaging by Lucy and Ethel in the 1950s comedy I Love Lucy (click on the link above to watch that scene).

The tour ended back at the main warehouse building, and we each received a sample of chocolates. There was also a great warehouse sale going on, so some of the students purchased goodies to take along with them.

Our next stop was the Hardley-Davidson plant a few miles away. Here the students were able to sit on some of the beautiful motorcycles being made in the plant and saw an exhibit area detailing manufacturing. There was an extensive sales shop, but I did not see any purchases being made, either of souvenirs or motorcycles! Many of the students took a turn in the sidecar of one of the really big bikes.

By noon our bag lunches were calling our names, so we drove to the nearby Galleria Mall and camped in the food court. Boys at one table, girls at another. Just like always! There was a lot of conversation, students catching up with one another about their experiences so far. Soon they were ready to set out on their shopping spree while the LEC coordinator and van driver kept an eye on lunch bags and backpacks left behind.

In an hour, all had returned (some of the boys for a second lunch!) bags loaded with bargain tee shirts and pullovers.

We piled into the van once more and drive through the city of York to the York County Heritage Trust's Colonial Complex, a group of four historic buildings in downtown York. We mosied through the back yard and arrived at the entrance to the Golden Plough Tavern, built in 1741 and the oldest building still standing in York.

Dan, our guide, showed us how townpeople and travelers alike used a tavern for overnight stays and as a center of social life. There was an bar, a bedroom, public space, and kitchen. Upstairs we saw how a building like this was constructed. The place was filled with antique items associated with a tavern of this sort.

We crossed through an opening in the wall into the Gen. Gates House (c.1751), which reflects the year 1778 when General Horatio Gates occupied the house while the Continental Congress met in York. It was much more elegant and had some fine decorative arts. It was in this house that the French Marquis de Lafayette made a toast to Gen. George Washington and changed the course of history. You'll see a photo below explaining that incident.

Back down through yard we went, past a vegetable and flower garden, to the The Barnett Bobb Log House, which, built with squared timbers, shows family life in the 1830s. A final stop was across the street, where a reproduction of York's Colonial court house demonstrated how trails were conducted and where the Continental Congress met during the Revolutionary War, making York one of the early capitals of what would become the United States of America.

Our ride home was more pleasant. The rain had stopped, and the sun was actually shining! As we stopped to deliver students to their host families, there wre good-byes among the students and discussion about an upcoming trip to HersheyPark. One student got an exciting ride early, as his host mother arrived in her sporty convertible to take Antoine back to Dillsburg to continue his visit.

Photos above, top to bottom, left to right:

1.The girls look great in their blue hairnets, all ready for the chocolate plant tour.

2.Maryse Montigné and Eloïse Lambert pay for their chocolate purchases.

3.Vincent Rabault looks très cool on his Harley.

4.Lunch at the Galleria Mall food court was a lively affair.

5.The Golden Plough Tavern on the left and the Gen. Gates House on the right.

6.The LEC students approach the Barnett Bobb House, an 1840s log residence.

Chaperon Salima Erraiani is in the sidecar

as Antoine Blin and Jean Rouanet ride

the big Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Ayla Alolwani, Eloïse Lambert, and

Annabelle DeHays take their turn on the

speedy blue Harley.

Outside the Gates House, a statue of the

French Marquis de Lafayette offers

the famous toast to Washington that

changed the history of our nation.

Here's the explanation of that famous toast.

Salima Erraiani appreciated the

Georgian architecture of the

re-created Colonial Court House.

The roller coasters at Hersheypark are no match for a

ride home in the sporty convertible driven
home to Dillsburg by Antoine's host mother .

LOWER PAXTON FAMILY WELCOMES MATHIAS ROTELLINI

2010-07-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Mathias Rotellini is visiting from Merignies, France, and staying with a family in Lower Paxton Township, a suburb east of Harrisburg. The Discovery Group he is in got here just in time for the 95 degree weather we "enjoyed" last week.

The heat didn't bother Mathias, as you can see. He's at home in the water and is performing a flip in his host family's pool.

Mathias' host mother Cindy reports that fellow student Jean Rouanet came to visit one day, and after dinner the whole family played card games Egyptian Rap Slap and Spoons.

"There was fierce competition and a lot of laughter," Cindy wrote. "Mathias was the champion!"

This is just the kind of fun that's also a learning experience -- the perfect LEC combination.

Mathias, left, host brother Josh, and Jean Rouanet, right

(l to r) Host sister Anessa, host dad Walter, Josh,

Mathias, and Jean play a hand of cards.

FIRST EXCURSION TAKES DISCOVERY GROUP TO CAPITAL CITY

2010-07-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

Note: Click on any photo to enlarge it.
Those LEC students who chose the "Discovery Group" option went on the first of three excursions in our region yesterday. Knowing that they would still be jet-lagged and acclimating to a new place and a foreign language, we chose to stay close to home and visited the more important sites in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital city.

We began the day by visiting the Pennsylvania State Capitol, an impressive American Renaissance-style building dedicated in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. We gathered first under the dome, reminiscent of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and then posed for photos on the grand staircase patterned after the Paris Opera House. During their tour, the students heard several references to materials which had come from France to decorate the monumental building.

During the tour, the LEC Capital Region staff were scrambling to find parking for the large van that has brought the students downtown. At the last minute, we realized it would not fit in the parking garage near the Capitol! Dave Volkman, retired-educator-turned-van-driver, scored a spot outside the Capitol, and a stop at at St. Michael Church near the Capitol -- and even nearer to our lunch location! -- rewarded us with parking spots for the van and, of course, the LECmobile, when lunchtime rolled around.

After touring the Capitol, the group visited the Capitol Shop and chose some souvenirs. They also received a print of the photo taken of them and presented by state Rep. Ronald Marsico, who represents the area where LEC Capital Region is located.

Our next stop was only a short walk away, the State Museum of Pennsylvania. There the students were able to wander through exhibits detailing Pennsylvania's history. A popular attraction was a recent exhibit of art by Pennsylvania artists. It was nice to see the students, strangers only a few days before, beginning to form friendships. LEC chaperon Salima Erraiani was amazed at the various collections in the museum and looks forward to more visits. She is staying with a family not too far from the museum.

A few minutes' drive took us to The Firehouse, a popular Harrisburg restaurant occupying a former city fire station. The students did a great job in ordering their drinks and sandwiches, wraps, and salads. They all seemed to enjoy their meals, especially, we noted, the boys, who consumed some really huge burgers and piles of French fries.

After lunch we piled into the van and took a pleasant drive down Front Street, the Susquehanna River meandering southward on our right and elegant former homes, now businesses, on our left. We crossed the Market Street Bridge to the center of the river and turned off to City Island, where the riverboat Pride of the Susquehanna waited for us. What had started out as a cloudy day had become a bright and sunny one by the time the boat left the shore for our 45-minute cruise. The cooling breezes were welcome, and students spent time on the open deck and under the awnings to enjoy views of the city's impressive skyline and bridges.

The cruise ended, we made one last stop at the 18th century home of John Harris, Jr., who founded the city, and later of Simon Cameron, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War and ambassador to Russia. Susan Artman gave us an interesting tour of the house, and her enthusiastic presentation was much appreciated. We were joined on the tour by three visitors from the Netherlands, a truly international entourage!

Here are some additional photos and a video from our day in Harrisburg, capital of Pennsylvania since 1812. Watch the video here: Pride of the Susquehanna Cruise, then click the BACK button to return to this blog.

LEC students and their chaperon pose

for an "official" portrait (seen above)

provided by state Representative Ron Marsico.

The boys in the group take a break from

touring in the State Museum of Pennsylvania

and rest in front of the façade of a 19th-

century Pennsylvania house.

Leaving the State Museum, the LEC van heads for

lunch in a historic caserne de pompiers, or firehouse.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the American food served

at The Firehouse Restaurant, occupying the former

Hope Fire Station #2, built in 1871.

Student Maryse Montigné captures the first photo of

Harrisburg's Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat.

Jean Rouanet and his sister Charlotte help chaperon

Salima Erraiani with a digital camera problem as

they wait to board the riverboat.

Sunny skies provided a nice background

for a cruise on the mile-wide Susquehanna

River, the 16 largest in the United States.

Harrisburg is located in the lower portion

of the Susquehanna, which empties into

the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace

in Maryland. The river, named for the

Susquehannock Indians who lived on its

banks and islands, is all-important

to people in the Harrisburg area.

The LEC group's boys enjoy a moment

under the awning as they pass by the

city's skyline.

The Market Street Bridge, right, and the

Dauphin County courthouse (the county was

named in honor of the Louis-Joseph, the Dauphin

or heir to the throne of France, son of King Louis XVI)

and other downtown buildings are seen here.

A section of the city north of the historic Walnut Street Bridge.

After the cruise we made a stop at the famous

John Harris/Simon Cameron Mansion, home of

the founder of Harrisburg and home to the

Historical Society of Dauphin County.

Interpreter Susan Artman started her tour of the

mansion on the large front porch, overlooking the

broad Susquehanna River.

Susan describes decorative arts in the dining room.

Upstairs in the front bedroom, students

examine a treasured 18th century

piece of furniture donated by one of

Harrisburg's leading families sometime

in the twentieth century.

Before going back outside, the group assembles for

a portrait in the mansion's parlor, with its 19th century

French windows and mirrors.

As they leave the mansion, the students

examine a large flat stepping-stone which is

said to have been the one from which

President George Washington mounted

his horse outside a Harrisburg inn in 1794,

when he was on his was to Bedford, Pa., to

review the military expedition he sent to

quell the so-called "Whiskey Rebellion."

FRENCH STUDENTS ARRIVE AT DULLES, MEET HOST FAMILIES

2010-07-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Seventeen French teens are here in southern Pennsylvania after arriving at Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, July 7. Their flight was late and they were delayed in customs, but all of the students were happy to finally greet their host families around midnight.

Thus the LEC students began their three-week stay in Dauphin, Delaware, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties. Students are staying with families in houses large and small in small town, suburban, and rural areas. Collectively, they will see a broad spectrum of American life.

The main purpose of a LEC visit is to practice English speaking skills and to experience daily life in an American family. We'll be asking students to submit photos to this blog and write about their experiences. Come back often!

Captions: (above) David Volkman of Harrisburg drove one of the vans that brought students back to Harrisburg to meet their host families. He is pictured here with Louise Lamy, LEC's regional coordinator, at Dulles International Airport. Louise is wearing her sporty LEC vest so she can be easily spotted in the crowd. Louise serves the Washington, D.C. region and lives near Manassas, Va.

(right) Student Jean Rouanet, who lives near Bordeaux, France, spent some time on his first morning in the Harrisburg area looking at the local newspaper. Jean's sister Charlotte is also in the LEC group.

SIXTEEN STUDENTS WILL ENJOY THREE WEEKS IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WITH LEC

2010-03-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

First time visitor?

If you're reading about LEC Capital Region for the first time, read this previous entry for complete information.

All of the Discovery Group kids and three in the Immersion Group have been placed with host families in the Capital Region! Thanks to all of the families for their generosity and kindness.

The following students have chosen the Discovery program, which will provide them with three group excursions here in our region. These excursions may be educational (a museum, historic site, or perhaps a college or special type of school), recreational (swimming, bowling, baseball game) or simply fun (amusement park, movies).

THE LEC 2010 DISCOVERY GROUP
The number following the bio indicates how many years of English study the student has had.

Alolwani, Ayla Léa (D) (Ayla Léa will spend her time with a host family in Linglestown, Dauphin County.)

Ayla Léa was born in Paris and has lived there all of her 15 years. She says that she is lively and sociable and likes swimming, cycling, reading, and music, and using the computer. She has visited Washington, New York City, and Las Vegas. She wants to speak English with an American accent and be able to keep up with her English-speaking cousins. Her friends say Ayla Léa is mature for her age. (7)

Bataille, Roxane (D) (Roxane will enjoy a host family near Carlisle, Cumberland County.)
Roxane lives in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. She is 14 years old and has two younger brothers and a dog. Roxane plays hockey, likes going out with friends, sports, and reading. She studies both Spanish and Latin, as well as English. She’d like to be a journalist or work in politics. Roxane is interested in improving her English and meeting new people. (4)

Blin, Antoine (D) (Antoine will be staying with a family in Dillsburg, York County.)

Fourteen year old Antoine comes to us from Argentan, a town due west of Paris in Normandy. His older sister is twenty. Antoine likes history, math, French, and foreign languages, namely English and German. He describes himself as curious and sociable. Antoine plays rugby and likes video games and chatting on the computer with his friends. (4)

Dehays, Annabelle (D) (Annabelle is placed and will stay with a host family in Lemoyne. Cumberland County)
Annabelle is 18 and lives in Saint-André-sur-Cailly, near Rouen in Normandy. She is an only child but has many good friends. She is a senior in a private high school in Rouen. She has studied English for seven years and finds it “attractive” and the reason she would like to come to the United States. She considers herself sociable and likes music, cinema, and reading. (7)

Fouquet, Astrid (D) (Astrid will visit with a family in New Cumberland, Cumberland County.)

Chantilly, close to Paris, is home to 15 year old Astrid. She is artistic and musical. She likes playing the guitar and singing. She likes tennis, too, and using the computer, and like most teens, going to the movies and shopping. Improving her English and seeing American culture first-hand are Astrid's top priorities during her visit to south central Pennsylvania. (6)

Gérace, Lucie (D) (Lucie is placed and will stay with a family in Annville, Lebanon County)
Lucie, 15, lives in the village of Bort-l’Étang, just east of Clermont-Ferrand, a metropolitan area of more than 400,000. An only child, Lucie has parents who own a restaurant. She likes music and some American television series. But she loves her friends more than anything! Lucie likes horse riding and has been doing it since she was five years old. Lucie would like to live in the United States some day, so she is anxious to find out more about the language and the way of life here. (6)

Lambert, Eloïse (D) (Eloïse will be visiting a family near Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County.)
This 14 year old resident of Palinges, a small village in central France, loves drama and judo. She participates in a lot of sports and loves camping and canoeing, cooking, and animals. She has a dog named Vicky and a rabbit, too. Eloïse describes herself as lively, sociable, talkative, and independent, and she loves discovering new things. For her, coming to the United States, "is my dream." (5)

Montigné, Maryse (D) (Maryse will be staying with a family in Linglestown, Dauphin County.)
Sixteen year old Maryse was born near Paris but now lives in Saint-Sébastien, near Nantes, on the west coast of France. She has an 18 year old sister who studies in Paris. When they are together, they like to spend time chatting and cycling. They also love baking cakes and cooking. Hobbies include swimming, dancing, movies, music, reading, playing guitar, and conversing with friends. She’s very keen on visiting the United States because it is very different from Europe. (5)

Porceddu, Mickael (July) (Mickael is placed and will stay with a family in Haverford, Pa.)
Tennis, anyone? Mickael is your man! He is 15 and comes from Ballainvilliers, just southwest of Paris. He trains in table tennis and competes weekly. Badminton is a favorite, too, and he is sparring partner for his tennis champ older brother. Mickael would like to be in a host family with someone his age. He'd like to watch a baseball game and perhaps play, too. (5)

Rabault, Vincent (D) (Vincent will enjoy a stay with a host family in Linglestown, Dauphin County.)
Fourteen year old Vincent lives in Nantes, in northwestern France, with his father and dog. Besides English, he has also studied Spanish. Vincent spent a week in New York City once and would like to see other parts of the country. He likes swimming, soccer, and basketball. He also enjoys video games and playing his guitar. (6)

Ragon, Anaïs (D) (Anaïs is placed and will stay with a family in Annville, Lebanon County.)
Anaïs, 15, lives in sunny Avignon in the south of France. She likes playing the guitar, music, cinema, tourism, and riding horses. She wants to come to the United States, a country she loves, to “speak with the inhabitants” and understand our way of life. If possible, Anaïs would like to room with Lucie Gérace (see above). (5)

Rotellini, Mathias (D) (Mathias will stay with a family in suburban Harrisburg.)

If you are into sports, then 14 year old Mathias is your man! He is devoted to tennis, soccer, running, cycling, and skiing. So naturally, he wants to know more about American sports like football, baseball, and basketball. In addition, he likes reading, history, and a good film. Because he lives in the countryside of northern France, at Merignies, near Lille, Mathias is used to having horses, dogs, cats, and ducks around. Oh, and he says he is tall for his age, 5'10". (4)

Rouanet, Charlotte (D) (Charlotte is placed with a family near Hummelstown, Dauphin County.)
Charlotte is 16 years old. She comes from Pessac, near Bordeaux in southwestern France. She has great friends and loves to attend parties with them. Her passions are riding horses, swimming and both water and snow skiing. While she has visited many places, she has not been to the United States before. Charlotte’s brother Jean will also be in the Discovery Group. (6)

Rouanet, Jean (D) (Jean will enjoy visiting with a host family in New Cumberland, Cumberland County.)

Fourteen year old Jean will be 15 by the time he gets here! Jean is Charlotte’s brother. He likes swimming, water and snow skiing, fishing, soccer, and tennis. He and his friends enjoy playing on the computer. He likes traveling a lot and says that he likes to speak English and would like to get to know our country. (4)

Zmuda, Clara (D) (Clara is placed and will be staying with a host family near Linglestown, Dauphin County.)
Clara, who will be 15 this summer, lives in Mont-Saint-Aignan, near Rouen, in northwestern France. She loves sports and participates in track and field events. She loves reading, shopping, music, and spending time with friends. Clara considers herself to be lively and talkative. She comes from a medical family – both parents are doctors, and her sister is studying medicine! (4)

Chaperon: Salima Erraiani (D) (Mlle Erraiani will stay with a couple in Harrisburg.)
This young teacher of English comes from Cavaillon, near Avignon in the Provence region of southern France. She likes exploring different places and cultures. She will no doubt use her time here to perfect her English. Salima will accompany the students from Paris to Washington and then will be available during their stay for guidance and advice. Hosting Salima would be a great experience, especially for families without children.

One-to-One student seeks individual instruction July 4-25 PLACED
If you or someone you know is a certified teacher of English or a foreign language and would like to tutor Paul Bruno, 17, of Paris, in a one-to-one situation for 15 hours a week at $25.00/hour, please contact LEC for complete information. Email us at jkrsmr@comcast.net.

Paul would stay with you and your family, and outside of the 15 hours would have a “regular” experience of interaction with family and friends and get to know our area. This is a paid position that includes the tutoring and the hosting.

If you wish to add your name to a list of potential host-tutors for next summer, please email us at jkrsmr@comcast.net.

2010 HOMESTAY DATES ANNOUNCED

2009-11-20T06:08:00.000-08:00

Fourteen LEC students will be in the Capital Region from July 7-27, 2010, as part of a "Discovery Group," for whom LEC Capital Region will arrange three excursions during the three-week stay with American families.

Eleven additional students will be available during that period, and another 11 from August 5-25.

As you plan your summer, you're invited to keep these dates in mind, so that you can enjoy a visit from a LEC student, who, I assure you, is already very excited about visiting the United States!

Please read this blog entry for details on how the LEC program works. LEC has been placing students in the United States since 1972. This coming year will be the third for LEC Capital Region.

WELCOME

2009-09-02T18:59:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the blog of LEC (Leisure, Education, and Culture) Capital Region, a branch of a French organization with headquarters in Paris. LEC is always looking for south central Pennsylvania host families for French teens who come each summer to improve their English and learn our ways of life.

To find out more about what French students did and thought during their visits in the summer of 2009, read the blog entries -- some by students themselves -- below.

If you'd like to consider being a host family next year, just drop us a line at jkrsmr@comcast.net.

We'll send you more information and answer any questions you may have.

Photo: Mont-St-Michel

2009-08-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Marion Rosset seems to have made a hit with the Koestler family of Palmyra, as you will read below. We can't help believe that the feeling is mutual. Here is Karen Koestler's account of the last week of Marion's stay with them.

"After a week that included driving to Washington D.C., Hersheypark, and then the Philadelphia trip last Sunday, Marion was very exhausted and decided she just wanted to hang out around the house with Aric and his friends for most of the week.

"On Wednesday, however, we did drive down to Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, Lancaster County. We walked around and sampled all kinds of local foods like Lebanon bologna and shoo fly pie (which Marion absolutely loved) as well as a huge variety of salsas, jams, jellies, cheese and fudge.

"After sampling all the wonderful foods and shops of Kitchen Kettle Village, Aric and I pointed out where we used to live in town, and then it was off to Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Marion was amazed by the variety of food there was to eat, but unlike her American counterparts, she managed to not overstuff herself. This worked out in her favor because later that evening, Amy shared with Marion a red velvet whoopie pie that we had bought at the bakery in Kitchen Kettle Village earlier, and she enjoyed it immensely.

"Thursday and Friday, we just relaxed at home so we would be ready to walk around New York City on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, we watched the weather channel and once it looked like Hurricane Bill was done in New York we headed to East Rutherford, New Jersey, and stayed at the Residence Inn right near Giants Stadium (Jim's favorite football team) and saw all the construction in progress for the new stadium and the new Xanadu mall complex. Marion commented about how big everything was going to be. Jim talked to her about growing up in the area and some history of the stadium.

"After checking into the hotel, we drove over to Secaucus Junction and parked at Edison Park and Ride; it's only $5 for all day parking there! We then hopped on a New Jersey Transit train over to New York City. The trains leave from Secaucus every 15 minutes to Pennsylvania Station (which is under Madison Square Garden).

"Since it was 6:00 p.m. when we arrrived in NYC, the first thing we did was walk straight to Bubba Gump's in Times Square. Marion and Aric visited the Levi's Store, and Marion purchased an I LOVE NY shirt while we waited for our table.

"Marion enjoyed the shrimp and the view of all the lights from the restaurant, and then we stopped in the middle of Times Square for pictures before heading into Toys R Us. It didn't take long for Marion and Aric to get busy checking out all the toys and gadgets. Marion and Aric enjoyed the Lego section of the store with all the large lego sculptures.

"Time flies in NYC, so we all headed back to Penn Station. I bought a New York cheesecake slice to bring back to the hotel, and then we took the train back to New Jersey to rest up for our Sunday shopping on Fifth Avenue. Marion had never tasted such a wonderful cheesecake before.

"Sunday morning we went back to NYC, and the first place Marion wanted to visit was -- you guessed it -- Abercrombie and Fitch. There was a line to get in but only because the store didn't open until noon, and it was only 11:50 a.m., so we decided to wait. Marion enjoyed seeing the male model on the way into the store but was too shy to get a picture with him.

"Jim and I sat in a couple of chairs while Marion and Aric explored all three floors of the store. Marion noticed that the prices were much higher there then the stores in Pennsylvania, so she did not purchase anything. Then we went to Diesel, which Marion had heard about. Once they found out the jeans start at $400.00 a pair, we headed over to H&M, which is also three floors.

"After that we decided to stop at a hot dog vendor, and Marion enjoyed her hot dog. Marion talked about how in movies you always see people getting hot dogs from the vendors. We ate our hot dogs as we walked over to Central Park, where we saw all the beautiful carriages and horses. Marion and I discussed how hot and tired the horses looked. It was very hot and humid out that day.

"Marion and Aric wanted to visit American Apparel in Columbus Circle, so we headed over there as our final shopping destination, and Marion purchased a few items. After a long, hot day of walking and shopping, we headed home where Aric and now Marion's friends were waiting to hear about Marion's trip to NYC.

"Monday night we had a potluck party in Marion's honor. Deb Fenstermacher brought homemade chicken enchiladas, which Marion absolutely loved! As the night came to a close, some of the friends found it hard to leave, and the reality of going home started to set in for Marion. Marion decided that three weeks was defnitely not long enough and hopes to come back again next summer to visit.

"I just want to tell you that we had a wonderful time having Marion stay with us. Marion fit in so well with our family that it was as if she had always been a part of us. We all miss her terribly!

"Thank you for allowing us to be a LEC Host Family!"

James, Karen, and Aric Koestler

Photos -- top to bottom:

Amy Fenstermacher and Marion don an Amish "beard" and bonnet at Kitchen Kettle Village.

The first stop in New York City was Bubba Gump's shrimp house.

Aric and Marion are horrified by the true-to-life dinosaur at Toys 'R' Us.

A street vendor offers hot dogs (just like in the movies) while the Empire State Building looms in the background.

Marion and Aric lend their sparkle to the night life in Times Square.

FRENCH CITY BOY MEETS AMERICAN COUNTRY COUNTERPART

2009-08-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

On the last day of his stay in the U.S., Julien was able to see first hand the ins and outs of American farm operations.

Julien spent the afternoon with Peter Haldeman, a neighbor of LEC hosts Paul and Ellen Seymour of Grantville, as Peter, a student at Northern Lebanon County High School showed Julien the various operations taking place on his family’s farms.

Julien was able to ride with Peter on his 4-wheel ATV as well as in a large air conditioned John Deere harvester as they watched Peter’s father and uncles prepare hay bales for shipment to the numerous mushroom producers of southeastern PA. This hay is used for specialized compost in growing mushrooms for shipment all over the world.

The tour of the farms and actual up-close exposure to the large machinery and equipment of a modern American farm opened Julien’s eyes to the complexity involved with 21st century agriculture.

Peter and Julien are now Facebook friends and have introduced each other to two very different worlds; a shining example of the valuable service provided by LEC.

JULIEN GOES ON THE TOWN, ADMIRES STATUE FROM HIS HOMELAND

2009-08-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

Our French friends have landed safely in Paris, but details of their last days here with us are still coming in. Here's a lively description -- from Paul Seymour -- of his weekend trip to New York City with Julien Humbert, who stayed with Paul and Ellen in Grantville.

"One trip to New York City this past Tuesday merely whetted Julien’s appetite for the excitement of “The Big Apple,” so his final weekend took in the lights, excitement, and energy of New York’s uptown, downtown, East side, West side, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.

"High on his “to do” list was a visit to an authentic New York deli and a go at a fabled corned beef on rye sandwich. Sarge’s Deli, in the Murray Hill neighborhood, was happy to give him the opportunity, and he took advantage of it shortly after his arrival! The sandwich was colossal and Julien’s words walking out the door were, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” The experience was topped off with a classic “egg cream” soda and New York potato salad.

"From Sarge’s it was off to a visit of the world famous Grand Central Station, followed by a ride on the world’s biggest subway system, the MTA. He navigated his way flawlessly (must be that suave and worldly Parisian cool!) to City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge stop on the #6 train and, despite the sweltering heat and humidity, managed to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn and then return to Manhattan.

"Saturday was concluded with a New York night tour on an open double-deck bus along with a “Statue-By-Night” tour of the Statue of Liberty on a high speed catamaran, followed by dinner at a superb Italian seafood restaurant, Abbaccato. The tour guide for the Statue tour, upon learning that Julien was from France, thanked him in front of all the passengers for France’s gift to our country.

"Sunday was definitely not a day to sleep in (most of you know how well our LEC students have perfected the art of sleep!). He was told that New York was too big and time was too short for enjoying creature comforts and, like a true trooper, Julien hit the streets early. After a substantial “American” breakfast he walked a large portion of Central Park and followed this up with a stroll down Fifth Avenue and even saw the flagship store of his favorite clothier, Abercrombie & Fitch. The line of people waiting to get in snaked around the block; too much, even for Julien. Since Rockefeller Center was nearby, he availed himself of the opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of Gotham. A tip for those of you who are going back to New York: the view is just as good, if not better, than the Empire State Building; the wait is about one quarter of the ESB; and the cost is less.

"Every New Yorker has probably ridden on the Staten Island Ferry, and Julien wanted the opportunity to partake of this free experience. The daytime view of the Statue of Liberty was spectacular, as was the view of the southern tip of Manhattan. The ferry required a long subway ride to Battery Park and back, but by this time Julien had mastered the system like a long-time New Yorker -- not a problem! The day was wrapped up with a trip to Artisanal, a superb French American bistro near the Empire State Building.

"While Julien returned to Grantville ready to rest up from a very busy two days, he is already planning his New York trip for next year!"

GETTING READY TO GO HOME

2009-08-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

From Annville comes this update on the end of Diane Combet's visit with Pat and Ron Krall:

"Today was a day of mixed emotions. Our time with Diane was coming to a close. Diane was awakened at 6:30 a.m. by a text message from a friend in France; so she was up bright and early and completed her packing and had breakfast by the time I woke up. Diane was doing one of her favorite at-home activities, watching the Disney Channel. She loved that channel!

"Soon it was time to pack the car and head for Harrisburg. (We didn't take the Mustang, but Diane wanted to get her picture taken it it.) One last goodbye to Annville, and off we went.

"Thank you and LEC for providing us with the opportunity of hosting Diane Combet in August and Diane Charrière and Marie-Charlotte in July. We thoroughly enjoyed it."

Photos -- top to bottom:

Diane manages to get all of her possessions into her bags -- after an early morning wake-up call.

Ron and Diane looking very cool in Ron's Ford Mustang.

Diane waves farewell to Annville, her American hometown for three weeks.

OCTAVE REVEALS ALL ABOUT HIS LEC EXPERIENCE

2009-08-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Octave Leborgne gets the gold star -- the only student to turn in his homework, a short composition about his stay in the United States! For three weeks in August, Octave was a resident of Linglestown, Dauphin County, staying with Todd, Cindy, Jared, and Lauren Rittle.

Trip in USA

I like everything in America. I don’t have a favorite part because everybody is awesome. My host family is very nice, fantastic. I will miss this country and hope to come back. I did many things for the first time. I had a big American cheeseburger, peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, corn-on-the cob, fireball, and Dr. Pepper. I am taking fireballs to France for my friends. I go to Hershey Park. The number of American attractions is better than in France. I drove a go-cart two times.

I love going to New York City. I liked everything! Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park. It was fun to walk in the rain in New York City and see all the people. I liked the pizza in Times Square. But I did not get to see a famous star in New York I liked to go to DC, to see the white house. I wanted to see Barack Obama, but he was not home.

I liked the Capitol building too. It was very hot and I was wearing hot clothes.

The bike trip was fun, and long! That was the first time I eat “fireball candy” and saw my first place of the civil war. I saw Jared’s Scout friends too.

I ate hot dogs in NY and in DC. I had fun being with teenagers in America. It was different than at home, but fun. I got to swim in a lake, visit a hospital to see Jared’s friend who was hurt. I liked to hit golf balls at the driving range.

It was FUN to go see the Amish people drive a cart on the road with a horse. It was fun to learn how American guy cooks pretzels. I taste the butter of apple (Apple butter), is very good.

The American people is very nice, and opened themselves up to me, very friendly, and their pets too. The toilets are different than in France. I slept 17 hours one day after I come here.

The house is big, and I like the hole for laundry to go down.

I understand better English, I don’t know if I speak better, but Cindy says yes. When people speak English too fast I can’t understand so good, but I am better than before.

PS – I LOVE AMERICA!

Well done, Octave. Thank you!

DEPARTURE DAY GOES JUST AS PLANNED

2009-08-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

At 10:00 a.m. today the August LEC students said farewell to south central Pennsylvania, piled into a van, and headed toward Dulles International Airport for a flight to Paris -- and home!

Before leaving, however, everyone had time for one last photo and a little flag-waving.

At Hagerstown, Maryland, we picked up Marine Morin, a student who had been staying in that area.

Arriving only a few minutes late, I turned the students over to LEC regional coordinator Louise Lamy and chaperon Stéphane Furina.

Bon voyage à tous!

Here's a photographic record of today's departure.

(l. to r.) Julien with Ellen and Paul Seymour.

2009-08-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

Diane, center, with Ron and Pat Krall.

2009-08-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

Octave with (l. to r.) Lauren, Cindy, and Jared Rittle.

2009-08-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Marion, center, with host Karen Koestler, right, and a friend.

2009-08-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

A group portrait.

2009-08-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

A final flag-waving farewell to America.

2009-08-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

Click on the arrow to watch the video.

Having arrived at the Dulles terminal, the group listens to instructions from M. Furina.

2009-08-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Julien is happy that his suitcase meets the weight standard.

2009-08-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Marion shares a final smile with blog readers.

2009-08-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

Octave clowns for the camera.

2009-08-25T15:45:00.001-07:00

Diane Combet is ready to take her seat and sleep all the way home.

2009-08-25T15:44:00.001-07:00

Other LEC students who stayed in Maryland and Northern Virginia were already there when we arrived.

2009-08-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

The long wait for boarding begins around 1:00 p.m.

2009-08-25T15:30:00.001-07:00

AU REVOIR AND THANK YOU

2009-08-24T21:05:00.001-07:00

Our four August LEC students, Diane Combet, Julien Humbert, Octave Leborgne, and Marion Rosset, leave today for Dulles International Airport to fly home to France.

It's been an exciting three weeks for these fine young people and for the caring and generous American families who have been their hosts: Pat and Ron Krall of Annville; Ellen and Paul Seymour of Grantville; Cindy, Todd, Jared, and Lauren Rittle of Linglestown; and Jim, Karen, and Aric Koestler of Palmyra.

From LEC come many thanks for participating in this wonderful experience in international friendship and heartfelt best wishes all around.

John Robinson
LEC Capital Region Coordinator

LAST DAYS SPENT MOSTLY ON WATER BY DIANE COMBET AND KRALLS

2009-08-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today, her last full day in Annville, was a watery one for French student Diane Combet, who went with her host family to spend some time in and on the water.

Here is how Diane tells it:

Hi there

giving some news

for my last day of these 3 great weeks , and for the first day of my (great?^^) life , I went boating with the Kralls on their boat !.

We were by 11:00 am on the water

By chance , the weather was really nice . Their Granddaughter, Melissa , was the first to do tubing , then it was rachel's turn , and then mine ! They went slow caus they knew it was my first time , I found it was really fast though !

Then we ate the delicious sandwichs Pat [Krall] had made , and we took a little nap . Some like Melissa or Ron prefered to swim a little :) .

by 2:00 pm , Melissa & Rachel first did tubing again , and then , all of us rode the boat for a few minuts !

That was a really nice day , I enjoyed it.

see ya

Diane

Pat Krall adds this:

"On Sunday, Diane went hiking out to Mt. Gretna with my daughter Karen and her 2 daughters and her dog. They went to Dinosaur Rock, walked around the cottages, then stopped at my sister in law's cottage to show Diane what the cottages looked like.

"After that they went to the Jigger Shop for, you guessed it, milkshakes. [Diane's had "a few" during her visit.]

"Later, we all went swimming at another sister-in law's pool and then had a family picnic. All in all it was a good day."

NEW YORK CITY WELCOMES RITTLES AND THEIR LEC STUDENT OCTAVE

2009-08-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

Octave Leborgne and his host family, the Rittles, traveled to New York City last Friday and Saturday. There was a lot a shopping, eating, and people-watching.

Todd Rittle reports:

"On Friday, we traveled with Octave Leborgne to New York City. We started by dropping Lauren and Cindy off in the fashion district to explore the “sample sales” of the wholesale merchants. Jared and Octave headed off to the Empire State Building, which was a must-see for Octave. Unbelievably, the wait was only 40 minutes, and the view was, according to Octave, “wonderful – you can see so far!”

"As the girls shopped (with Todd in tow for security), the young men made their way up Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center to people-watch. Todd hooked up with them, while Cindy and Lauren shopped their way back down from Central Park/Madison Avenue to Rockefeller Center.

"Then it was off to Times Square for authentic New York style pizza and people-watching. Lauren continued buying things from street vendors, while Octave got his must-have “I Love NY” tee shirts. We showed Octave the M&M store and the Hershey’s store in Times Square, but mostly he was interested to just seeing the lights and the people.

"Around 9:00 p.m. we left for our hotel back in New Jersey. The indoor pool and a comfy bed were all that Octave needed to enjoy the “Garden State.”

"It was back into Manhattan on Saturday! Todd dropped Cindy and Lauren off on Canal Street for (shocker) more shopping, while the “boys” went to South Street Seaport to explore the souvenir shops and take the “Shark” speed boat ride around New York Harbor. An important part of this ride was the stop near the Statue of Liberty for photos. Octave liked the Statue of Liberty, but thought it was smaller than he imagined it would be. Movies will do that to a person; Octave said it looked bigger in the “Day After Tomorrow” movie. Unfortunately, we were not able to get up into the Statue, since the tickets are sold out well into November. But that is something we can do with him if he comes back!

"We headed back to meet up with Cindy and Lauren, who by this time had hopped a subway to Central Park. We met them outside FAO Schwartz just in time to rescue them from a rain shower. We rode through Central Park, and when the rain stopped, we unbelievably found a parking spot on Central Park South. We strolled over to Wollman Rink, which is a carnival in the summer, and dodged more rain drops. We headed back to the ice cream stand near the car and had delicious gelato.

"Finally, we headed for home. An exhausted Octave slept for an hour and a half on the way back to Harrisburg, where we stopped for Mexican food. We could tell Octave was hungry—he ate five fajita wraps and a half basket of chips!"

Photos -- top to bottom:

Octave dives into a slice of authentic New York style pizza in Times Square.

Jared, Todd, and Octave look right at home in Times Square.

The Circle Line Shark speedboat offered Octave and company a 30-minute thrill ride around the harbor.

Octave and Jared and a certain Lady from France pose during the Shark ride.

Octave, Jared, and Lauren stroll through Central Park on the way to Wollman Rink.

HOMESTAY WRAP-UP IS FAST PACED FOR DIANE AND KRALL FAMILY

2009-08-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Pat and Ron Krall of Annville are really active people. They've had three LEC students this summer! In this blog entry, Pat describes the whirlwind wrap-up of the very successful homestay of Diane Combet, 15, of Sainte Foy-lès-Lyon, France:

"The last two days have been a blur. My daughter Jean and her three daughters were visiting, so we were busy doing normal family stuff. Thursday night we headed to Heisey's Diner again. (It's one of my granddaughters' favorite restaurants.) Diane ordered the Heisey's Bongo Burger again. She really likes them.

"After dinner, we rented the movie 'Race to Witch Mountain' and relaxed at home.

"Friday morning, Diane made crêpes for everyone. They were scrumptious. Our plans to go boating fizzled out due to the stormy weather. So Jean, Diane, my five granddaughters and I went shopping.

"Next we went to Kohl's department store, where Diane purchased a few items she couldn't resist. Then we went to Michael's craft store, and Diane found a cool sign for her room at home.

"Then it was off to Dunham's Sporting Goods Store to purchase a ping pong table. We called Ron to pick up the ping-pong table since it was too big to take home in the van, which was full of people.

"Ron and my son-in-law Dave put the table together, and after dinner at home, the girls played ping pong and pool in the basement for quite a while.

"About 7:30 p.m., they decided to go night swimming. So it was off to my sister-in-law's pool for a refreshing dip. Later they all came home for some TV and time for bed. Everyone was tired after a busy day!"

Photos -- top to bottom:

Diane enjoys what may be her last Bongo Burger at Heisey's Diner.

Crêpes are on the menu when Diane serves dinner to the whole Krall family.

Good luck to the poor person who stumbles across Diane's property back home!

Diane puts the new ping pong table through its paces.

Click on any photo in this blog to enlarge it.

RITTLES AND OCTAVE LEBORGNE FEATURED IN LINGLESTOWN GAZETTE

2009-08-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

Bill Bostic, editor of the blog Linglestown Gazette, recently published an article that I wrote about Octave Leborgne and his experiences with the Rittle Family of Linglestown. The article was the result of a visit I made to the Rittles' home to ask some pertinent questions. Look for the article on the blog for Friday, August 21, 2oo9.

Earlier this year, Bill was kind enough to tell his readers about the opportunity of hosting a student through LEC. Then he announced that the Rittles would be hosting Octave. Now he has come full circle with the publication of my interview. Since last summer, the Gazette has listed this blog among local links.

To read the interview with Octave and the Rittles, see the Linglestown Gazette here. Thanks, Bill, for being a great supporter of LEC Capital Region.

The Linglestown Gazette, covering all things Linglestown and Lower Paxton Township, is published daily and comes right to your computer. For a free subscription, sign up on the blog.

Photo: Octave Leborgne is in good hands with Todd, Jared, Cindy, and Lauren Rittle of Fairway Estates, Linglestown.

LAST WEEK INCLUDES BROADWAY AND BASEBALL FOR JULIEN

2009-08-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Julian Humbert, of suburban Paris, has wanted to see New York City for some time now, and this week he got his chance, provided by his American hosts, Paul and Ellen Seymour of Grantville. He also got his first glimpse of the great American pastime, baseball.

Ellen writes:

"Julien took in the neon lights on Broadway with his first play, 'Billy Elliot,' on Tuesday in New York City. This play won ten Tony Awards this year, including 'Best Musical.' Julien was particularly impressed with the choreography and the talent of 11 year old Tommy Batchelor, who was performing the role of Billy.

"The singing and dancing were incredible, aided in no small part by the musical score written by Elton John. Although Julien had seen the movie 'Billy Elliot' back in France, the Broadway version was very different, and he enjoyed it immensely.

"After experiencing a 'taste of the Big Apple,' Julien was ready to return to New York City this weekend to take in many other sights.

"Julien watched his first American baseball game on Thursday on Harrisburg's City Island, where the Harrisburg Senators took on the Altoona Curve team. After seven innings, the game was rained out, but Julien saw a home run, several steals, and a pick-off. Julien was accompanied by a friend of ours, Steve Boyd, who played baseball in high school.

"Julien saw enough to say that he liked the game of baseball a lot and looks forward to another game, hopefully in better weather."

Photos -- top to bottom:

Julien looking sporty in his American tee.

In his first trip to the Big Apple, Julien took in the musical "Billy Elliot."

Julien took this picture of his first American baseball game.

TRIP TO PHILLY BRINGS HISTORIC SITES, CHEESE STEAK, AND SHOPPING

2009-08-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Diane Combet made a pilgrimage to the shrine of liberty -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pat Krall of Diane's host family reported promptly but the editor dropped the ball. It's out of order but exciting to read anyway!

"Today we went to Philadelphia to see the sights. After watching two movies at the Independence Visitor Center, Diane had a better understanding of the Revolutionary War and the fight for Independence.

"Next we took the guided tour of Independence Hall and the Hall of Congress. Both tour guides did an excellent job of relating the events of 1776.

"Next came a visit to the Liberty Bell. As we walked through the Liberty Bell exhibit, you could feel a sense of pride and patriotism fill the air.

"Soon it was after 1:00 p.m. and getting hotter by the minute. We headed back to the air conditioned Visitor Center for some lunch. Of course, we had to have a Philadelphia cheese steak sandwich for lunch (sorry, none of Diane's trademark milk shakes today).

"Then it was off to the Franklin Institute. We saw the Star Trek exhibition and the Galileo exhibition. Diane was not familiar with Star Trek but seemed to enjoy the Galileo exhibit. We then checked out the Isaac Newton room, where we saw all sorts of levers and optical illusions.

"Our last stop before leaving the Philadelphia area was the King of Prussia Mall. Diane wanted to check out the Abercrombie & Fitch store and pick up some things for her big sister. She couldn't believe how large the mall was. And we didn't see nearly all of it. Her shopping finished, we headed for Annville.

"We stopped at a small neighborhood restaurant in Annville for a light dinner of wings and fries and then headed home so we could rest up for our trip to New York City."

Photos -- top to bottom:

Diane and Ron Krall arrive at Independence Hall.

The Liberty Bell is perhaps the most important icon of American freedom.

Diane works her brain in the exhibit devoted to scientist Isaac Newton.

Now an official "LEC Student Shrine," the Abercrombie & Fitch store at King of Prussia.