This week, U-­High welcomed 20 French students to submerge themselves in a culture different than their own.

This is the first time French teacher Jim Potter has brought students from France to U­-High, though they have been coming to Metcalf for a long time. Next summer, U­-High students will have the opportunity to travel to France and stay with the students they are currently hosting.

“Our students will go over and stay [in France]. It will be a lot of fun because the kids will already know who they are meeting with,” Potter said.

Junior Rosa Rolon hosted French tenth grader Manon Deroo from Lyon, France.

“I thought it’d be an interesting experience to have a foreigner in my home, and it would help me improve my French,” Rolon said.

Deroo wanted to come to America, “to see the culture and see new people.” Rolon helped her see American culture by taking her around Bloomington­-Normal, such as the bowling alley, Eastland mall, and several local restaurants.

“I beat Rosa’s entire family,” Deroo said about their bowling game.

Communication is a clear obstacle for the students. Rosa started speaking French in seventh grade, and Deroo has been speaking English for six years.

“It is a little hard, seeing as I know a little French, and she knows a little English,” Rolon said. “But we are having fun learning each other’s language.”

According to Deroo France and America are night and day different. The main difference she says is the architecture and the roads.

“The streets are bigger than in France,” Deroo said.

Both Rolon and Deroo are excited to trade places next year and experience this from the other’s perspective.

“I would especially love to go to another country and experience what my student is doing right now,” Rolon said.