French teens welcomed in Philadelphia about-face

[Nambe]

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA The French consul has welcomed 10 French exchange students whose trip to Philadelphia appeared in jeopardy after a private school rescinded its invitation, with one teacher citing backlash against France for its opposition to the U.S. war with Iraq. ---

Springside School, a private girls preparatory school in Chestnut Hill, a Philadelphia suburb, said it decided in March to suspend the 27-year-old exchange program amid concerns over travel and terrorism. However, a longtime French teacher who is the program's coordinator sent an e-mail message to a French colleague in May citing anti-French sentiment and saying that two host families had withdrawn as sponsors "because they did not wish to house a French student." ---

The unofficial trip is being supported by a group of parents, some with students at Springside, who opened their homes to the students. Among them was Lori Gayman, a Springside graduate and mother of a 14-year- old boy, who after learning about the cancellation volunteered to be host to a student.

"It was embarrassing, it was sad and it was very upsetting," said Gayman, who is providing a home for Simon Benfoech, 15. "There are so many misunderstandings and assumptions about other cultures because we stay in our little boxes and don't look outside into the world." ---

Je suis desole que mon president soit un idiot.
Je n'ai vote pour lui.

[Sequoia]

1. Vive le Cool!

Hats off to the parents who opened their homes to these students.

[thebeaglehaslanded]

2. Terrific news. I hope the French kids have a wonderful time

in this country. Good for these parents!!!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. These brainwashed idiots

These brainwashed idiots who withdrew reject America's oldest ally because the French spoke the truth.

[LeftCoast]

4. So in effect TWO families

are allowed to send a diplomatic slap from the US to France?! What a pile of shit. For those Republicans reading...THIS is why it is sometimes embarrassing to be an American.

[karlschneider]

5. Uh, "philadelphia"...the word has a meaning...

:eyes:
:crazy:

[Capn Sunshine]

6. IF you ask me, the patriotic thing to do

is get as many French teen-age girls over here as possible. :evilgrin:

[WillyT]

15. LOL, You Are My Sunshine !!!

:evilgrin:

BTW - Maybe we could use a modern-day Mata Hari to infiltrate our own government and find out what the f*ck is going on in there!!!

:shrug:

[JohnyCanuck]

7. I am glad to hear this news

I really got my shorts in a knot when I read that the exchange visit had been cancelled because of a supposed virulent oubreak of freeperitis infecting the Philadelphia population. I was hoping that there would be some Americans with class who would step forward to right this wrong. I am glad they did.

BTW Nambe there's a slight mistake in your sig line.

It should be: Je n'ai pas voté pour lui.

Edited to add: There's also an accent missing in the first line of the sig. It should read: Je suis desolé

[karlschneider]

8. Je n'ai pas voté pour lui. --- I'm guessing "I didn't vote for him"??

I read/converse Spanish pretty well but my French is merde..
:D

[JohnyCanuck]

10. That's right

Translated Nambe's sig line says:

I am sorry my President is an idiot. I did not vote for him.

[goforit]

9. Way to go Lori Gayman!!!.......Bush could take a hint of your diplomacy.

This is a wonderful one-up-manship to the rightwing fascist that turned them down.

[cprise]

11. I knew a gay man would come to the rescue

And what about those reactionaries... they can be so gauche!
:7

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

[xchrom]

12. oh damn that was funny

i scared the dog -- and he's damn near deaf.

[Kamika]

13. i agree

great humor



Also i think its embarassing to live in the same country that refuses exchange students because theyre french

[Merlin]

14. I love Philly.

Here's another reason why.