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Problematic six months exchange

Cunechan

∠( ᐛ 」∠)_
Hey,
This is gonna be a long post because I really feel down for a while now and can't stand it any longer. It's not even about me though but I'm laying my feels here so if you want to help just read this post patienly. I'm sorry but it'll be a long post. I think it might be the right place to share bc I'm so upset and ik u r the best community i ever was in so i hope to find a bit of understanding.

I just wanted to share a longtime problem I'm, no, my best friend is dealing with for now almost a year. You have to know that she is in the same class as I am and we're best friends. She just got sixteen last November.
One year ago she wanted to make this voltaire exchange for six months to France. You send the Voltaire program your formulas and they search someone in France who's just like you or fits your character or interests and you two make an exchange for one year, one year in France and one year here in Germany. She got all excited and happy to do this exchange because she's an open girl, she's an always happy and motivating person who's strong. She loves to meet new ppl (and to stalk them) but she's one of the nicest persons i know and she has a twin sister. So the ppl who work at this voltaire program are supposed to search someone who is just like you or atleast similiar, interests and stuff should be fitting but this wasn't the case, not really. When her exchange partner sent her a letter for the first time I read it and realized the exchange partner was like the opposite of my friend but she was super optimistic about it and said "It'll work somehow ;)".

When the exchange student came to our place she was a bit disappointed bc they really were like the definition of difference but since we didn't know the exchange student we gave it time to find out if they might not be good with each other. But then it started. Lets call the exchange partner K and my friend is V.
They didn't talk with each other, they did a bit in the bginning but they didn't talk. When they came home from school K walked into her room and only opened her door if they'd dinner. V didn't really care and neglected K like "if you don't care about me I don't care about you too". There was actually no problem back there, it was February 2k15. Then it started that V asked K if they wanna go together to some festivals bc there were many festivals back then (free concerts, festivals and stuff) but K said no. V went jogging everyday and asked K if she wanna go jogging with her but she said no again.
Later on V started to talk nasty about K when she was with me bc she was annoyed that K didn't wanna do anything and she said that K is boring and always in her room. Once K told one of my other friends that V doesn't have any hobbies. V irated and ranted a lot suddenly bc she always asked K to do sth with her but she was the one who said no. Then K started to rant about vegans ( V is vegan and really proud of it) and they,like, secretly hated each other? Atleast they survived the first six months somehow. K went home and V had two weeks untill she went to Paris. That was the last time i actually saw her, in summer when we had holidays.

So she was in Paris then and we used to skype call each other everyday at 7pm and she told me that she had to share a room with Ks sister. It wasn't that bad since her sisters were actually pretty nice and one of them was really cool she told me. She told me about her class in Paris about many cool and nice ppl. She told me what was bothering her: the house. She sent me pictures of the interior and it was dirty it looked like they were compulsive horders. She told me about disgusting stuff lying on the floor, at the toilet, everywhere. She told me that they always ate pasta with ketchup and V didn't eat much. She told me she always bought something or had to cook sth herself but no one cleaned the kitchen or the house or anything so she cleaned it herself. She told me that Paris was beatiful and all the ppl in her class were nice but she hated her exchange family.
You probably remember firday the 13th, paris incident? I tried to call V nonstop untill she replied me and she told me that she was okay. This was the point when she really should've cancelled the exchange. I wanted to have her back here so bad. Oh god i was so scared and worried about her. But she told me she can do this.

This week me and a few others like Vs twin sis got their exchange partners from a different exchange (one week to Nantes) and Vs twin sisters exchange student called V and they talked a lot. But they spoke in french and V told that the family is dirty and they're all stupid. When they had dinner she realized that the K and her sisters heard what she was saying and told her it's not alright. They told that she has no right to call them stupid or dirty and that it's not ok that she took photos of their rooms. They told that V is some kind of princess and that not everybody's as smart as her and that V neglected K since the beginning. V said "yes, it is dirty and i did not call you stupid its just stupid that you don't talk to me" She also said, yeah i know that i neglected K in the beginning and i never said I'm smarter than you. V went to her room and the family started to talk extra loud about her "Vi what a atrange name" "She can't even clear the table now" "When i came to her place her mother was about to change the diapers. Disgusting" "Her dad can't even speak german properly". V told everything to her twin sister in detail and she told me and i just got super angry. Her dad is a refugee from vietnam back then, all these arguments were invalid. I mean seriously? Would you clear the table after a talk like this? V told me she's hurt. She's rarely hurt, she never cries or anything she's like the strongest person i know. This happened a few days ago and know the family is now bullying her. This is mobbing. We know that she didn't do everything the right way but K didn't either, right? They're seriously bullying her and she's not good at all rn. I just want her to come back and I miss her. Im emotionally so down rn and crying. I just want her to come back home. She told me that she finally cancels the exchange bc she can't take it anymore.

Did one of you've ever been in a situation like this or did something similar happen? What do you think about this, how would you handle the situation? Idk what to say anymore. I just hope that my friend comes back as soon as possible.
 

Amysaurus

Digital Artist
Staff member
Resource Team
I've never done any sort of exchange program, but I do understand that helpless feeling of not being able to help a friend. :(

K and V are both in the wrong here, it seems. V probably should've tried talking to K more in the beginning - asked what she wanted to do, etc. She probably was feeling shy or unsure of what to do. K, however, should've tried to give V more of a chance when she offered to take her places or to do some activities. They probably would've gotten along much better over time.

I can't say I approve of how the family is treating your friend, but what she did while talking to her sister was incredibly disrespectful. They did open up their home to her, after all. It's like how you don't go around saying a relative's house is filthy if you go for a visit.

I think the best thing you can do is just send some encouragement your friend's way until she makes it back. Hopefully both K and V will learn a little from the experience.
 

Cunechan

∠( ᐛ 」∠)_
Ik, i wish she atleast apologized bc it was incredibly rude what she said. I'd never dare to say sth like that. It's really not okay she said that. If they'd atleast stayed longer at the table and talked about what they said and what V said they maybe could've handled it if V really apologized but she just didn't. She was probably too angry at the time idk but she really shouldn't have said that or atleast apologized (even though i think an apology wouldn't be enough)

The problem is that when K was here we all asked her what she wanted to do but she just wanted to be on her laptop and read stuff. We even did some things together when i was at Vs we watched a horror movie together or played games. K had fun while doing this but when we asked her she mostly said no. When she was here we all asked her what her hobbies are and what she wanted to do but there really was like NOTHING. K wasn't shy she just didn't want to talk with us...Idk it was a bit strange and it's been a time since then. Probably it's the communication problem here but it really hurts me to see what she's going through. If both just tried to talk more back then there wouldn't be this communication problem but it's too late now. It's just so sad for both.

I bought a ticket yesterday for her to come back bc Ks family won't give her any money anymore and they somehow don't want her to go (?) but they're still treating her very bad and V just can't take it anymore. But Vs sis just texted me that Ks mother locked the door so V won't go and V doesn't reply to my messages D: I hope she's okay and so happy to see her this evening.
There were just too many things which went wrong this exchange and I hope they let V go home. @Amysaurus thanks for reading and replying back. I also hope both learn from their behavior and something like this should never ever happen again. Not like no one should ever make an exchange for this long again but you know what i mean, communication problem and being rude.
 

PandaMaru

Local Hero
Xy$
0.00
Every exchange program have backup plans if something go wrong with the familys. She must go to the teachers/whoever who are managing the entire program and ask for a change of family.
 

Cunechan

∠( ᐛ 」∠)_
@PandaMaru she did ask the teachers but it was two days too late and she be wouldve needed to wait almost one month untill she could change families. Idk its somehow in the voltaire program system that it you can only move to another family in the beginning of a new month. In November she decided to change to a different family of one of her new friends in France, she asked her teacher but it was late November and the forumlas arrived at the Voltaire program ppl on 2nd December and told that she could change in the beginning of January but not earlier. V said she just wants to cancel the exchange. She said she can't take one more month with this family.
 

Micro

Dragon Goddess
oh my gosh that is horrible. I hope your friend will be able to get a new exchange family at the least, or come home in January. that's really terrible what she had to deal with! it seems like V really tried to make friends with K, but since they were so different it was difficult to form a friendship.

whoever was in charge of this exchange really messed up... I hope she didn't have to pay any money or something for this. is there anyone she can complain too? gosh, such a scary situation. it's good that you are there to support her!

she's not allowed to just stay over one of her French friends' houses until she can do the exchange thing? sounds terrible... I'm sure she'll get through it all though, she sounds like a tough girl! definitely will be a learning experience.. sorry you guys have to deal with all this stress!

good on you for being there for her though.
 

Cunechan

∠( ᐛ 」∠)_
She's with me now :,) the family didn't pay her a ticket and she had to take the train without (she got caught up three times) and the family didn't gave her enough food. She got home last Sunday but they wrote a test in English lessons on Monday and she didn't have to write it.

She told me that the pans and the bowls and stuff were a bit dirty and when they ate they handed out food but it was exactly how much everyone was given and if she was still hungry they didn't want to give her more food. After they found out what she said about ther family while she was calling a friend they only gave her a lil plate. It's okay if ppl don't have enough money, seriously. But in this case it was like everyone but V eating a dessert and V asks "Can i have an apple please?" And the mother said "No". She wanted to give this apple to Ks sis even though she didn't want the apple but she didn't ask V either if she wanted the apple or change with the dessert. Idk it was quite strange but it's over now. She's all ok and save at home and I'm so glad to have her back :D
 

Micro

Dragon Goddess
oh wow... they sound like terrible people geez. >_> glad she's out of that mess and home ;w;

happy to hear she's doing okay
 
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