With a bold, blue and yellow “CURE MONOLINGUALISM” sticker on her classroom window, Mrs. Barbara Chaillou has lately been enjoying the sound of French chatter among her sophomore French students and their new friends from Poitier, France.

Four high school students from Poitier made the half-day trip to San Diego in late October. Hosted by local Notre Dame Academy families, the four students have been shadowing Cathedral Catholic High School students who are currently studying the French language.

When called to serve as guides and friends to the exchange students, French teacher Mrs. Chaillou said plenty of CCHS students were eager to help.

When asked why he wanted to host an exchange student at school, sophomore Carson Linxwiler said, “Well, a couple of years ago in seventh grade I actually went over to France, and I got to stay at the school [the exchange students] came from. So I wanted to share their experience with them at Cathedral.”

Though Linxwiller took a personal trip to France, Mrs. Chaillou expressed her hope for the development of a two-way exchange program in the near future.

“We’re hoping to open up doors for an exchange program,” Mrs. Chaillou said. “And I wouldn’t mind taking [CCHS students] over there. I’ve never been to Poitier!”

French student and sophomore, Julia Gilbert, showed eager interest in visiting France through the developing exchange program.

“I think it’d be really interesting to see another country,” Gilbert said, “because I’ve never been to another country and I’d love to go to France.”

Meanwhile, the program offers mutual benefits for French and CCHS students.

“[The exchange students] are here to learn English,” Mrs. Chaillou said. “They practice their English, and the kids they’re shadowing are French students. So at the same time, [CCHS students] get the benefit of practicing the language.”

Beyond developing their French and English fluency, the students participating in the program are learning about another culture.

“Hosting an exchange student shows you a different perspective of the world,” Linxwiler said.

With a mere two neighboring countries in the far north and south, Americans are often isolated from, and ignorant of, other cultures.

“In Europe, you can go to Italy, you can go to Switzerland, you can go to Spain because everything is so close,” Mrs. Chaillou said. “So you’re used to other cultures.”

Language and culture are intertwined. Gilbert believes attempting to speak a country’s native language is an important part of the cultural experience.

“When Americans go to other countries, they expect them to speak English, you know?” Gilbert said. “I think we should take that [responsibility] upon ourselves and learn their language.”

Familiarity and understanding among cultures fosters individual growth, but also has the potential to cultivate peaceful coexistence throughout the world.

“I think knowing more cultures makes people more tolerant. Just by accepting different ‘ways’,” Mrs. Chaillou said. “We all have our stereotypes.”

The French and American students at CCHS will spend the next three weeks, before the French students return to Poitier, breaking down preconceived notions and stereotypes about each other.

“When I went [to France], they expected me to be fat, but I wasn’t. So, they thought that was funny,” Linxwiler said.