CEI CENTRE D ECHANGES INTERNATIONAUX ACADEMIC PROGRAM STUDENT HANBOOK «Le plus beau métier des hommes est d unir les hommes» Saint-Exupéry
Section 1 : Preparing for your journey Dear CEI student, You have completed your application, your French language test and received your acceptance letter; now it s time to get excited about your upcoming adventure. You will probably have a lot of questions, worries and excitement about your journey. Therefore, we encourage you to be open and honest in your communication with the agency in your home country. They will help you prepare for your stay in France. What to bring with you It is important that you take the time to learn something about the area in which you will be staying. France is a small country but the climate varies whether you are placed in the North or in the South of France, close to the sea close to the mountains. As you already know, you will need to bring clothing and equipment suited to your new lifestyle. While packing for your journey, keep in mind that what you bring must also go back with you, so don t bring more than you need. Shipping or checking luggage can be expensive, and in some cases it might be less expensive to buy something once you have arrived. You should bring the following items in your hand-carried luggage: This handbook with the name, address and phone number of CEI Office in St Malo. Here is the 24/24 emergency phone line: 00.33.6.43.33.46.78. The names, phone numbers, and address of your host family and your LC s phone numbers. Your passport with French visa Your airline ticket and travel itinerary Vaccination documentation, including any changes to your record since you applied
A copy of any prescription (medical or optical) Letter of explanation from your doctor for any prescriptions Photos and information about your country; pictures of your host family, home and friends French money in case of emergency A gift for your host family (optional, but a nice gesture) Take a look at the climate where you will be living and pack appropriately, or plan to have your parents send you clothing you may need for the next season. Section 2 : Arrival Information / contacts The meet & greet service is organized by CEI and you will be taken in charge at your arrival by a CEI escort. Your greeter will likely have a sign with your name on it to help to find him/her. Then the escort will help you to take a direct train to your final host community. Your host family or local coordinator will greet you at the train station upon arrival.
Section 3: Your Host Family There is no specific family type, nor perfect family. Single parents, blended family, retired, with or without children, living in a city or in the countryside All these families with varying profiles can host students during a few months. Most of the time, host families live in the country (80%) because they have more space to welcome students there, rather than in big cities. Being hosted in a family where there are teenagers is not systematic. To select a family, CEI makes sure the decision is made by all the members of the family. The important thing is to be hosted in a warm and friendly house where everyone shares its point of view and culture. Every Host Family will have unique household rules and expectations.
Here is a sample set of expectations for a typical French family: Learn our name, address and phone number immediately. We all live together. You are a part of our family. We will treat you the same way that we treat our own children. We are your parents for the time you are here. Please treat us the way you want to be treated. French children share household chores with their parents. We must all do our share to keep the house looking nice. We must all use good manners in our home. Please, Thank you, I m sorry, May I help you?, and good manners during meals and around each other are necessary. Don t bring your cell phone to dinner. Help bringing plates and clearing off the table after dinner. If you have a concern, a question, or you feel lonely, sad or happy, please talk to any of us. We want to be part of your life and share the happy as well as the sad. Here is a sample of everyday household rules for a typical French family: Keep your room and bathroom clean: empty the bin regularly, open the window to freshen up the air. Make your bed every morning. Change your sheets regularly Clean your bathroom once a week Use the shower/bath sensibly. 5-10 minutes under the water. Do not take food into your bedroom Please turn off the lights, radios, etc. when they are not in use You will be responsible for your own laundry. Ask your host parents to show you how to use the washer and dryer.
Section 4: The student adjustment Cycle These stages are far from universal. Also, most students experience many of these stages at different times and to different degrees during their stay. Acknowledgement of these stages may help you to better understand some of the feelings a student may experience Cycle 1: Im really here! You have been getting ready for months and now you have finally arrived. Everything is a new and exciting adventure and you are the center of attention in your new family. This is the honeymoon period when you are anticipating the start of school. Cycle 2: Settling in Things have settled down to a normal routine. You are no longer going to new places. You are treated like one of the family members; you may have responsibilities that you never had at home. School may be more difficult than you had imagined. Your host family has rules, chores, curfews, etc., and you begin to wonder why you ever wanted to be an exchange student. Cycle 3: What am I doing here? or the Down period You may feel somewhat lonely, isolated, or homesick and depressed. You miss your friends and family and everything familiar. Cycle 4: I ll be leaving my new country soon! Things are going much better. Your French has improved so that now you are thinking, and perhaps dreaming, in French. You are getting involved in activities and making friends. You have many things left to do before you go home, and you feel that your time is limited. Cycle 5: It s time to leave my new home You are now very comfortable physically and emotionally in your home and your departure will be difficult for you and your host family. You have many great memories and the idea of returning to your homeland leaves you sad and happy, anxious and excited, all at the same
time. You wonder what it will be like to go back to your family and friends and if things will be the same as they were before you left. Section 5: Independent travel Accompanied travel: Travelling with your host family (summer/winter holidays/weekends) is absolutely fine, and it does not require any authorization from CEI. Independent travel: It has to be checked first with CEI. Your natural parents have to be in touch with the home agency to sign a written release form to authorize you to travel. CEI will then take the final decision to agree or not to the trip. No official authorization signed before departure = No travel! Beware: CEI will automatically refuse all demands for trips taken at the beginning of the stay. Also, Christmas has to be spent with your host family. Returns to your home country is forbidden exception made only in case of emergency. CEI will not permit parental visits during the duration of the program
Section 6: School All classes are compulsory. You are expected to take part actively into all your classes and to obtain sufficient grades. You must respect the school rules in the same way as French students do. You must wear appropriate clothes. In case of an absence, a medical certificate and/or a letter of excuse should systematically be provided. Missing class is forbidden. Section 7: While onto the CEI program, it is forbidden to: Smoke Drink Be in possession of illegal substances (drugs). Be sexually active Drive or being passenger of any motorized vehicles (car, motorcycle ). Take the driving test while in France. Hitchhike Work (except for baby-sitting and helping children with their homework). CEI procedure regarding student s misbehavior while in France is as follow: 1. Warning letter 2. Probation letter 3. Dismissal and return to your home country
Section 8: General Responsibilities for Students Students have responsibilities when joining a homestay program. It is important that you realize this before you leave your home country and that you accept these responsibilities once you arrive in France. Responsibility to your Home country: You are an ambassador of your home country. Your actions and manners need to bring favorable reactions from those you will be around Responsibilities to your Host Family: Families host mainly for a learning experience. It is important for you to come prepared to share your country and culture with your host families and friends. Please bring pictures, examples of arts/crafts from your home country, recipes of your favorite dish, or music that is popular with teens from your country. You need to fit into the lifestyle of your host family. Do not expect them to change their way of doing things to be more like what you are accustomed to at home. If there are changes to be made, you are the one who needs to make them. TRES BON SEJOUR EN FRANCE!