BUCKHANNON – There is nothing like the joy of seeing the first snowfall of the season or making memories while sharing holidays with others.
So, just imagine the excitement of going on your first sled ride at age 17 and playing in the snow – not to mention seeing snow for the first time in person – and enjoying only your second celebration of Thanksgiving while enjoying delicious turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
These are some of the most memorable things that Martinique resident Julien Larcher has been able to experience this year while sharing time in Buckhannon as a foreign exchange student with his host family, Buckhannon-Upshur High School Boys Soccer Coach Mike, his wife Kelly Donato and their son, Charlie.
Julien arrived in Buckhannon in September, coming from the island of Martinique, a Caribbean island of the Lesser Antilles located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Martinique is an overseas region of France whose culture reflects a blend of French of West Indian influences.
Even though Julien decided to come to the United States in the middle of COVID-19, he was determined to enjoy his immersion into another culture and is refusing to let the current pandemic rain on his experience. Julien said he likes to see new places and experience different cultures.
“I want to see new things, experience different cultures and make new friends,” Julien said. “This will help me become more open-minded. I was open to being in any country and did not get to choose to come to America.”
Before this foreign exchange experience in Buckhannon, Julien said he traveled to some other parts of the world, including visiting his family in California as well as taking trips to France, England, Sweden and Italy. Since he has been in America, his travel has been restricted; however, he did say he was able to go to Pittsburgh twice.
Julien will be here until June.
When Covid-19 broke out, Julien said the French government shut down school in Martinique.
“On my island, there were not too many COVID-19 cases,” he said. “There were maybe 100 cases and none in my school, but our government did not want to risk it and we switched to remote learning.”
Julien said the structure of schools – elementary, middle and high schools – is basically the same in his home country. He said the main difference is that in Martinique, the school day is much longer, beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m.
“It is a very long day, and we go to school five days a week – just like in the United States,” he said. “We travel to school on school buses, and we eat our meals at school in the cafeteria – and the school provides the meals,” he said. “Classes can be different, especially at the high school level. We have the same subjects.”
One thing Julien said he really likes at Buckhannon-Upshur High School is that the teachers are very concerned about their student’s success.
“In the United States, I feel it is fun to learn,” Julien said.
When he came to Buckhannon, Julien played on the B-UHS Soccer Team. He said he really enjoyed playing soccer and said in Martinique, there are school-sponsored athletic teams.
“But most of the teams, including soccer, are community leagues,” he said. “In the past, I participated in soccer clubs, and I also participated in karate.”
At home in Martinique, Julien said his father is a native of Martinique and his mother is originally from the United States. He has one older brother.
Julien said this was only the second year he has ever celebrated Thanksgiving.
“We do not celebrate Thanksgiving in Martinique,” he said. “During this last celebration, we ate a lot, watched lots of football and watched the [Macy’s Thanksgiving Day] parade on television.”
Julien said another highlight of his time here has been sled riding.
“This was my first experience seeing snow – it made me happy and it was really cool,” he said. “We went tubing at Canaan Valley as well, and I am looking forward to seeing Blackwater Falls.”
In Martinique, Julien said the weather is tropical, which means there are hurricanes sometimes.
“Sometimes it rains a lot, but most of the time it is very hot,” Julien said. “The weather here is very different.”
Following graduation, Julien said he wants to attend a university and hopes to earn a soccer scholarship. He said he is undecided where in the world he would like to pursue his higher education and said he has not yet decided on a major field of study.
Julien has this advice for other students who are considering the possibility of doing a foreign exchange program: “You never know what is going to happen; you may find what you really love in another culture,” he said. “You can discover another culture and meet a lot of people who can help you be yourself and find your goals. If you are considering doing this, do it. I am enjoying the experience and recommend it to others.”
