Left: Anne-Carmene's children with host parents     
Right: Anne-Carmene, host parents and fellow alum Nate Brown FR'94

by Anne-Carmene Almonord FR’98, Trustee

Reprinted from SYA Kaleidoscope: 60th Anniversary Commemorative (2025)

This past July I returned to Chavagne, France, to celebrate the 80th birthday of my host mother. When I reunited with my host family it was a precious moment that was over a decade in the making. Though I’d visited them somewhat regularly through college and they traveled to NYC for my wedding, for many years my host family traced the evolution of my life with each successive holiday card. The Giraults have seen me add a dog, a son, and then a daughter (and even lose the dog) noting with our quarterly text exchanges just how much the faces were changing and also staying the same. When my children and I finally arrived at the house that sunny afternoon, though small details had changed, my host mother greeted us as if no time had passed — immediately setting up lunch and preparing fresh crepes. There’s something universally delightful about being spoiled by a grandma, and my children were completely charmed. My host parents, whose grandchildren are now well into their 20s and 30s, reveled in having a new generation to fuss over, showering them with attention and affection.

Reflecting on my time with my host family, I can see how integral they were to my overall experience at SYA. They were seasoned hosts, having welcomed fourteen American teenagers before me, and I was to be their fifteenth and final guest. Their thoughtful approach to hosting made my transition smooth, and their home quickly became my forever address in France. As a Black girl from Brooklyn, New York arriving in tiny Chavagne — a rural village of under 3,000 residents — there were countless opportunities for misunderstanding or discomfort, but none ever materialized. My host parents and siblings were genuinely open and accepting, embracing our differences with warmth and curiosity. They taught me so about how to navigate the nuances of French culture, from the local way of grading (the intimidating 16/20) to the rhythms of everyday village life.

Every Tuesday night, we had a tradition: galette night. It was more than just a meal — it was a weekly gathering where we would share stories, discuss plans for the week and talk about everything from local news to my experiences at school. Those evenings were a window into Breton culture, and they provided me with countless opportunities to practice my French and build connection in a relaxed setting. My host family’s openness and their genuine interest in my thoughts gave me a sense of belonging that transcended cultural barriers. Of course, there were challenges. For example, my host family’s religious practices were more devout than my own family’s, but it was never a source of tension. We navigated those differences with respect, and as any SYA alum knows, cultural differences do not have to be obstacles to connection; they can be fortunate opportunities for deeper understanding.

From those first weeks together in September 1997 to now, I have thought of my French family as extension of my family back home — a unique, unexpected addition that made my world larger and more interconnected. Even after I moved on from my heavily francophone life, I found myself drawn to similar small communities and seeking out those connections that had made my time in Chavagne so special. When I moved to a tiny village in Japan after college, the familiarity of that experience felt like a continuation of what I began in France. Although I wasn’t living with a host family in tiny Azuma Village, Japan, there were locals who welcomed me as if I were one of their own and we have managed to stay close for many years. I was fortunate to move to Japan again as a young attorney and my son’s toddler years in Tokyo were definitely enriched by his Japanese grandmas — the same people who I had grown close with so many years before his arrival. Maintaining close connections over time, whether in France or Japan, has reinforced my belief in the power of cultural exchange and the importance of international citizenship.

Another highlight of my trip back to Chavagne last summer was the time shared with Nate Brown (FR’94), an SYA alum who shared my French host family. Whenever our French siblings or cousins visited New York, Nate and I would come together, reminiscing about our time in Chavagne and the shared memories that continue to tie us together — but Nate lives in California now so watching my kids have an absolute fête together with his was really the cherry on top of an already special experience. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both Nate and I have in-laws who live abroad and are raising cross cultural families. We’ve seen up close how a family can expand across a multitude of differences with love, patience and a spirit of thoughtful inquiry.

It’s not always easy to find yourself “at home” in a new place, but SYA gave me the skills to do just that, wherever I may be. I am forever grateful to Maryvonne and Germain Girault for their courage to try the SYA experiment all those years ago. 

The lessons from my magical year at SYA have shaped who I am today, and my great hope is to influence even one young person to be as curious, bold, and kind as to take up the mantle of being an SYAer — I know they won’t be disappointed!