Davis students discover French exchange partners

By Avery Weinman,

HUB Staff Writer–

A group of 21 French-taking high school students met at a West Davis house party to mingle, eat desserts and, most importantly, find out who their partner would be for the upcoming 2013-2014 Davis High French Exchange.

The students stood huddled around a table, eating traditional French delicacies and buzzing about what the trip will be like.  They all seemed to have grand ideas about their exchange and how spectacular their Californian lifestyle will seem to locals.

“Dole is so small, the mayor comes to greet us,” sophomore Claudia Shebloski said.

When it came time to read off the names, the group sat with their phones at the ready with the distinctive blue Facebook logo striped across each of their screens.  Holmes teacher Kris Harvey passed out a single sheet of paper with the French students’ information to each of the excited teenagers, and a flurry of chatter arose from the crowd as matches popped up on various iPhones.

As students learned about what their partner looked liked and enjoyed, they began to feel the reality program.  Maxine Zhao was one of the first to find her partner online.

“I’m really excited, but it’s like the kind of excitement you get when you go on a rollercoaster,” Zhao said.