A Foreign Exchange Student’s Holiday Adventure

Linken Newman
Staff Writer
  Being a foreign exchange student can be hard, especially during the holiday season. Some reasons it might be difficult are getting used to all the new traditions in the host country and having to spend a holiday away from family and friends. Cleophee Catron Rodriguez is a foreign exchange student from France who goes to Bonneville High School (BHS) for the 2025-2026.
  Rodriguez is set to go back home on the first  of June after the school year ends. Afterwards, she mentioned how she will be working a lot, having recently turned 18. She stated how the biggest difference between France and America during the holiday season is the increase of variety in holidays. The biggest difference in holidays is that America celebrates Thanksgiving and France does not. It does go both ways between France and America, for instance France has All Saints day, which is similar to the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. Another huge difference is the school system. Most schools in America get out of school at the same time while French schools can vary from ending at four PM to sometimes ending later than sixPM. Rodriguez mentioned how she had no major set plans for the holiday season, but plans on spending it with her friends and host family, her host family being her favorite thing about America so far. If she was still in France; however, she would be spending the holidays with her grandparents. France also does not focus nearly as much on Christmas day, rather they do most of the celebrations on Christmas Eve. Commonly, families in France will have a huge feast on Christmas eve, with Turkey Foie Gras and Oysters being the most common meals for this feast. It is then followed by a church ceremony before everyone goes to bed. The next day they will have another feast commonly consisting of the same foods as the night prior before opening gifts sent to them by “Père Noël,” also known as the Father of Christmas. After the gifts. the remainder of the day is spent conversing with loved ones before Christmas eventually comes to an end.
  Rodriguez will be staying in America for a decent while longer. She will remain at BHS until the school year ends which she will be doing her best to become fluent in English.

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