American and French students pause at an overlook to get a view of le Verdon (the French Grand Canyon). le Comite de Jumelage, Frejus, France

Charlie Poth, Josephine Prud'Homme, chaperon Leigh Perret Dowd, James Prud'Homme and Sarah Sanford learn porcelain painting from Chantal Charvin during a morning workshop at L'Atelier du Jas in Frejus. le Comite de Jumelage, Frejus, France

Students (from far left corner) Raleigh Hazel, Philip Jackson, Patrick Crosson, chaperon Connie Orgeron, Emily Goose, Rita Hill and Andy Johns learn cartonnerie, the art of making sturdy cardboard objects, from Sylvain Guillemot of ^BENT^00C7^EENT^a Cartonne during an open-air workshop in Frejus. le Comite de Jumelage, Frejus, France

American and French students prepare to sail on the Mediterranean after pushing off from the beach at Frejus. le Comite de Jumelage, Frejus, France

Area high school students find their counterparts in Fredericksburg Sister City Frejus, France, are just like them.

By CONNIE VON SALZEN ORGERON and LEIGH PERRET DOWD

Date published: 1/12/2008

FOR THE FREE lANCE-STAR

AT A PICNIC TABLE under parasol pines, next to Roman ruins casting shadows in the afternoon sun, French families kissed the cheeks of 14 Fredericksburg-area teens, welcoming them into their homes in Frejus, France. The 27th annual Fredericksburg/Frejus Sister City exchange had begun.

From June 12 to 22, the group of Fredericksburg-area high school students lived with their host teens and families, experiencing everyday life and learning about the history and culture of Provence.

Participating were Andy Johns, Stephen Mohs, Charles Poth, James Prud' Homme and Josephine Prud'Homme of James Monroe High School; Emily Goose, Raleigh Hazel and Phillip Jackson of Fredericksburg Academy; Amber Fields and Kayle Palakovich of Brooke Point High School; Patrick Crosson and Caitlin Fournier of Colonial Forge High School; Rita Hill of Massaponax High School; and Sara Sanford of Stafford High School.

The chaperons were Leigh Perret Dowd from Spotsylvania and Freedom middle schools, and Connie Orgeron from James Monroe High School.

For four of the students, this was a reunion, as they had hosted their French teen counterparts in Fredericksburg last summer. For the others, and for the chaperons, it was a chance to begin forging strong friendships.

Sister City International, the parent organization of the Fredericksburg Sister City Association, describes the associations of cities that "twin" (the French word is jumelage or "twinning") as Citizens Diplomacy Organizations whose purpose is to promote peace and understanding through individual relationships. The students' experiences and the relationships they formed echo this purpose.

Lots in common

"What surprised me the most about staying with a French teen was that she was exactly like me," said Caitlin Fournier. "She was dealing with the same stuff as me, like having a job, starting school, keeping up with friends. Their way of life isn't that different from ours. I was expecting the French to be so prim and proper about everything and almost critique my every move since I was an American, but they acted just like my American friends. The only difference was that they spoke French.

"We had dinner with Elsa's neighbor one night, and it started at 8 p.m. and didn't end until midnight. It was so much fun because their conversations kept going and, there was never a dull moment.

The objectives and purposes for which the Sister City program was established are exclusively educational and charitable. They are 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about the Fredericksburg Sister City Association and its many activities and programs visit its Web site at fsca.communitypoint.org. Membership applications are available on the web site. Contact A.C. Whitley, FSCA president, 540-786-7010.

Date published: 1/12/2008