Exchange student returns

Thirty years ago, French exchange student Francoise Lecourt came to Waseca. Now she is back to revisit her second home and share fond memories with her Waseca family and her own family.

On Monday, Lecourt, her husband, and her two daughters were joined by Francoise’s host mom, Terri Ingram, and Lecourt’s best friend from Waseca, Tanya Herbst, to tour the high school. 

Lecourt had been a part of Waseca’s class of 1989-90; she was involved in choir and had joined the speech team. 

“I wanted to do an exchange. It was very fashionable in France to go after graduation,” Lecourt explained. She went through an organization that reached out to families in the U.S. to see if they wanted to host students. “I didn’t pick out Minnesota,” Lecourt said.

Lecourt was placed with a family in Waseca. After she arrived, the family moved and asked whether she would like to move with them. She said no, that she wanted to stay in Waseca. After that she moved in with Terri and Russell, her husband. 

Lecourt explained that she wanted to come back for the 30-year celebration of her class graduation  in 2020, but wasn’t able to because of the pandemic. 

“Being here, it's exciting. It’s unbelievable. I have to pinch myself every time,” she said. “It’s most exciting because I have my daughters with me.” One of Lecourt’s daughters is the same age as she was when she came to Waseca, something she thinks is special:  “I talked about Waseca for years and years and now I share with them this, which is very very important to me.” 

Lecourt’s husband Nicholas said there was a lot of crying involved when she reunited with Ingram and Herbst. 

School counselor Christine Meeks gave the family a tour of the high school, explaining how the old building was laid out compared to the modern version. 

Walking through the school, Lecourt and Herbst reminisced about their days in high school. Going past the home-ec classroom, Meeks explained what the students are expected to do in that department; Lecourt laughed, mentioning she remembered having to babysit an egg when she took a child development class.

Looking at the new lockers, Lecourt fondly remembered that her locker in school was broken and that a fellow who had a crush on her would slip candy inside. 

Walking through the school, the French family made comments comparing the schools of America to the schools of France. Here, and especially in Waseca, there is an emphasis on arts. In France, schools are only for academic subjects. All art activities such as music, art or sports, are done outside of school or privately. Meeks laughingly told  Lecourt’s two daughters Juliet and Mathilde that prom in America is different from the movies. Lecourt agreed, saying she even went to prom with a random boy she had asked from the movie theater in Owatonna because she hadn’t known anyone from the school well enough. 

When Lecourt left after the ten months of her exchange program here, she wrote a Letter to the Editor saying, “I really have enjoyed my year in Waseca and have met so many great people. Also I will miss Waseca High School, but I have so many wonderful memories that will live on. Certainly, my senior year will always remain a part of them. I really appreciate the opportunity that I, as an exchange student, have had to learn about your school system and your community.”

Sheriff Jay Dulas tagged along on the school tour, and afterwards showed his squad car to the family, allowing them to even sit in the back seat. 

After everything was finished, Lecourt talked about why her experience in Waseca prompted her to return and share it with her family, a place she calls home. 

Lecourt and her family visited from Friday, Aug. 4, through Wednesday, Aug. 9. Next on their travel agenda were two western cities. 

“San Francisco and Los Angeles are going to be vacation. Here, I’m home,” Lecourt said emotionally. Lecourt kept talking about being home and feeling at home in Waseca, calling Herbst her sister, who promptly burst into tears as the two shared a hug. 

“I never had a sister,” Herbst laughed between the happy tears.