Joe High School is off to France with his Minnesota accent and 40 of his friends. In preparation, and at the urging of the French teachers who will accompany them, we bought him a pair of black pants to replace his jeans with artfully placed holes. We also bought a new pair of sneakers to replace the Pumas that have molded to his feet and barely contain his toes. The grunge look is fine if you live there, but why feed into ugly--literally--American stereotypes?
Tomorrow we will purchase some native crafts as gifts for his host family, who live near Avignon. I am so envious. Back in the day, high school trips like these were not the norm. Although they are more common, they do not seem to have given us a broader world view. It must take many generations for cultural exchanges like this to have any impact.
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