Pardon My French

While many teenagers would do anything to leave their small hometowns, and get away from their parents for a semester, seventeen-year-old Nicole Larson is stricken with feeling the complete opposite. Instead of going to Paris for the semester, she would do absolutely anything to stay within the confines of Peabody Corner, Maryland, ringing in the first day of senior year with her three best friends Zara, Patrice, and Annie; and planning what she'll wear to Homecoming with her boyfriend of two years, Nate. But, alas, Nicole's parents are put-off by her constant discussion of how things will be once she and Nate get married, and can't help but feel that she's selling herself short by deciding to follow Nate to whatever college he decides to attend. Not only that, they're sick of seeing their daughter follow the lead of her friends, and want to see her break free from their control, and find her inner self. So, they force her to enroll in the S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas) Study Abroad Program, which is how she finds herself smack dab in the middle of Paris, where she can't speak the language, and is forced to reside with an American family named the Smith's. The Smith's are perfectly nice people, of course, but their four children...well, their constant screaming leaves much to be desired. Nicole can't stand Paris almost instantly. The food looks creepy - there's no way she'll ever eat a snail - and the cars move way too fast. And the metro is more confusing than anything she's ever encountered in her life. But, as Nicole begins attending Parisian school, and learning more about the culture and the atmosphere of Paris, along with her new friend, a Swedish girl named Annike, Nicole's Parisian perspective begins to change. Suddenly, she isn't so creeped out by all things France, and begins to embrace the culture, as if it were her own. And, with a few sightseeing tours from the Smith's manny (male nanny), Luc, Nicole finds herself actually enjoying the Parisian life. However, when she learns that Nate isn't missing her as much as she expected, Nicole begins contemplating whether cutting her trip to Paris short, and returning to the States would be a better idea than breathing in more of the sights with her newfound friends. In recent months, I have fallen in love with the idea of sitting in outdoor cafes in Paris, sipping cafe au lait, and munching on croissants, and have even begun embracing the works of various artists who display these types of scenes in their paintings. However, I realized that I knew very little about Paris, aside from the Eiffel Tower, and various other landmarks. So I was ecstatic to stumble upon an S.A.S.S. novel that took place in the city of lights. Cathy Hapka does a wonderful job of describing the nervousness that one feels when stepping out of their comfort zone, and being forced to take on an entire new culture - including language, to food, and even transportation! Hapka's character development for Nicole

I bought this to read on a school trip and believe me, my friends wanted updates on everything that happened in this story. Give it a try!

If you are the type of person who loves to travel, this book is for you. Although this novel can be taken to merely discuss Nicole's journey to France, her emotional journey is also an important one, and rightfully shows the struggles of today's exchange students - along with the romance they meet along the way! In France, she is forced to experience new, unknown French ways instead of being a sheltered teenager. For example, she must learn to navigate around the French metro. On a romantic level, this novel was a bit cliche for me. She falls in love with a French guy - why does this always happen in every exchange novel/movie?!?! The romance did add a little fun to the book, however, so I would recommend this book as a great read, especially if you like to be exposed to different cultures. There are also other books in the S.A.S.S. series, so after you read this one, go for them!!

I really enjoyed this enstallment in the S.A.S.S. series. Nicole is aboslutely against going to France to study abroad. She has friends, a great boyfriend, and American stuff to do. And to top it all off, the family she stays with is a little on the crazy side. And their 'babysitter', Luc, is annoyingly adorable. Nicole just wants to be back at home. But when she finally relaxes a little and learns to enjoy herself while studying in France, Nicole finds that her stay was a life-changing experience. I didn't flip the pages furiously or read this one in a day, but it was a cute little book that I enjoyed reading. A good read if you too wish to study abroad and find love along the way. :)

Nicole's (the main character)parents really want her to go to Paris but, Nicole really does not want to. Nicole cannot speak or read French at all and she is very happy with how her life is. She wants to spend the rest of her life with her boyfriend Nate. Nicole gets sent to Paris but, is staying with an American family. Nicole meets some friends at school and a boy named Luc. When Nicole gets to Paris, she is not very happy at all. She wants to be home with Nate and her friends. As Nicole is in Paris, she starts to think more about things and ask more questions. She begins to realize new things about her life back home. At the end of the book, she is very happy that her parents sent her there. This book is really good! I read it in 1 day because I couldn't stop reading it!