“It’s strange . . . but so good.” said Juliette Gautier.

This is not the typical reaction to a fifteen year old eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Neither is the excitement of taking the school bus or even something as simple as the use of a mailbox.

It is the little things that we take for granted that sophomore foreign-exchange student Juliette Gautier really enjoys.

Gautier is from a small country town called Chateaubourg on the west side of France. The little town consists of merely 6,000 people at most. There are three primary schools, two colleges (which in France is equivalent of a high school), a cinema, a church, and some restaurants, just like in every other normal town.

“My house is in the very center of the town,” said Gautier. “Which is nice because I was near everything.”

She realized that she wanted to experience something new. Something like becoming a foreign-exchange student. It would have all the fun of living a completely different lifestyle.

“I also came over here because I want to be an English teacher [back in France],” said Gautier.

So came the plane ride over. Gautier endured nine exhausting hours of just sitting and being horribly bored in broad daylight, preventing opportunities of sleep.

Although a feeling of dread surpassed both boredom and excitement for her on the plane, when the realization of leaving her home seemed to hit.

“It was weird when I was in the plane, it was like time was in pause,” said Gautier. “I was thinking of all my friends and my family, and I just couldn’t believe that I won’t see them for ten months.”

She knew she would be staying with a good family, and that would make things a little better.

Gautier is staying with the Planskys, a family of four, but five including the oldest daughter Allie in college. Emma is the younger daughter living at home who happens to be Gautier’s age.

“We wanted to get a girl who was Emma’s age, and it turned out perfectly because we found Juliette,” said Kristin Plansky.

At four in the afternoon it was finally time to pick up Gautier. Emma and her mother Kristin Plansky arrived at O’Hare airport only to discover Gautier’s flight was delayed. It led to a two-hour wait before they found Gautier. The ride back to the Plansky residence was quick to become a little uncomfortable. What do you say to a girl you are taking home and just formally met for the first time?

It was the moment when “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars came on the radio that they discovered how they both loved the song, and they finally warmed up to each other. There was a new member to the Plansky family.

“I was afraid to speak because I didn’t want to mess up,” said Gautier.

Both Planskys and Gautier had the same feeling of being hesitant on what to say, there being a slight French-English language barrier at first.

Now their favorite thing to do together is sing. They enjoyed football games and the Sunset Festival. They also like to hang out with Emma’s friends on the weekends or simply visit family. Gautier often goes to Emma’s varsity swim meets too.

There are still so many new things Emma wants Gautier to experience, it being her first time in the United States.

“It is so different and so cool here,” said Juliette. “Like the school bus, that is so cool.”

Gautier was fascinated with the fact that a big yellow bus comes to pick students up and take them to and from school, because back in France, they would walk to school.

Most high school students hate taking the school bus, but not Gautier.

“She also thought it was funny how I can just put the mailbox flag up and the mailman knows to take the mail,” said Kristin.

Homecoming week rolled around and Gautier enjoyed it. She found it funny that during spirit week everyone dressed up.

Friday came and it was the big Homecoming game. Of course, Emma and Gautier went; it was long, cold, and loud.

For weeks, Gautier could not stop talking about it.

In preparation for the dance, they got their nails done, which was the first time for Gautier. At the dance, it was not what she expected. In fact, it was better.

“I thought it was going to be like in the movies with tables and things like that,” said Gautier.

For Gautier homecoming was an exciting experience she will remember of her time in the United States: One of the many fun things she has done so far and will do.

“Every day is so cool,” said Gautier. “There are so many things to do here in the U.S.”

Next month they plan on going to a Skrillex concert if it is not too expensive, and, of course, take Gautier into the city sometime.

Of course when the following eight months come to a close, it will not be the end for Gautier and Emma’s friendship because Emma plans on possibly staying with Gautier in France.

“I would consider being a foreign-exchange student,” said Emma. “I really want to become fluent in French, and we both think it would be really cool if I could stay for a few months.”

Before that, of course, Emma and her family will make sure Gautier will have the time of her life here in the United States.

Huntley has a lot to offer Gautier and hopefully she will be able to get the full suburban experience in the eight months that she is here.