Seeking Family to Host French Student For 6 Weeks beginning January 2009

Geraldine Pinon, the 18 year old daughter of one of my oldest and dearest friends will attend a 6 week intensive English college prep course  given by Kaplan University whose classroom instruction is located near the University of Miami in Coral Gables.  Her parents and I would like her to also have the social interaction of being with young people her own age during her stay.  She is very familiar with South Florida.  Their family comes to spend vacations here every year, typically in the month of February when they close their small hotel in Plouescat, France due to the cold weather.  They welcome Americans in their small town of less than 1,000 inhabitants, that swells to many more tourists in the warmer, Summer months.

Plouescat, their town, is located on the water on the Northern Coast of France, in the region known as Finistere (translated to mean “the end of the Earth”).  You can see, by looking at the map, why they might have thought that in ancient times!  Also called Bretagne, or Brittany, the region was home to Mary Queen of Scotts during the British occupation of the land hundreds of years ago.  In fact, their region has its own dialect, although rarely spoken in the present day, which is a combination of French and Gaelic.
Geraldine has grown up in a close family environment where everyone works in the family business “La Caravelle”, a small hotel and 2 star Michelin-rated gourmet restaurant.  She has two older brothers, both of whom adore their baby sister.  Older brother, Gwendal, stayed with us several years ago for the Summer while he interned with my chef brother Todd at a restaurant on South Beach.

If you have room in your home, live near the University of Miami and hopefully have a teenager or two around that might enjoy the company of a well-behaved young French girl for 6 weeks, they need to make their arrangements now for Geraldine’s housing beginning around January 9, 2009 until about the end of February 2009.

I know Hugues and Annie would love to reciprocate if you and/or your child would like to spend time with them in France in the future.  It could be the beginning of a life-long friendship like the one I have enjoyed with Geraldine’s parents through the years!  I’m in the EWM Coconut Grove office and would love to hear from you if you are interested in hosting Geraldine in January.