An exchange student in Normandie

When I was in University, my friend Fashionista and I decided that we wanted to become exchange students. I went for an interview with the people from the Rotary and was chosen as to be an exchange student. Yay!

I was sent to Avranches, a small town in Normandy, France. I stayed with a lovely family for about 2 months and thanks to them, I fell even deeper in love with France. The family consisted of Papa, Maman, Frenchie (my exchange student - she came to visit me 6 months later) and her 2 brothers.

Every weekend, the family would take me to one of the many fabulous little towns in the area: Granville, St Malo, Dinard, Dinan etc. I enjoyed the area so much - it was beautiful, with so much history and culture. Each little town so similar, yet so different from the other. I can still remember the chilly day that we sampled oysters in Cancale - truly memorable and something special.

The family truly fed my hunger and love for food. They know "how" to eat. The family sat down for dinner each night and had quite the spread. They would start with a small appetizer, then salad, main course, cheese, dessert and finally espresso. A culinary expedition in their own home every evening. One of my fondest memories, is of me and Frenchie, eating an entire Camembert cheese on my last evening - her parents could not believe that we could eat an entire meal and then sit there and shove piece after piece of Camembert down our throats. Believe me...there was no shoving...each bite of Camembert (occasionally accompanied by a piece of baguette) was pure joy!

I love every place that I've ever visited in France, but this area of Normandy and Brittany holds a special place in my heart - probably thanks to the graciousness of my host family.