A Parisian son finds a home in Leelanau

By Bruce Hood
Sun contributor

Finding a way for our children to experience international travel and be exposed to international cultures has always been a priority for our family. The idea, however, of sending them overseas for a whole year on an exchange was a daunting concept for our tight little family.

So, when we received a call, a few years ago from a longtime family friend asking for us to gather a group of young teenagers to meet a 10-year-old from Paris, we were excited. This was Ian’s first chance to meet Cyprien, whose uncle, older brother and sister had all spent time with our friend Marty Cole and her family. Marty is a retired French instructor, in northern Wisconsin.

Cyprien had a great time during his short stay that summer, and the boys seemed to really hit it off. One of the results of this little visit was an open invitation from the Gilberts, Cyprien’s family, for our son Ian to come and visit them anytime. What was exceptional was Marty’s offer to take Ian over with her that next summer. She would escort him there, make sure he settled in, and then travel on her own for a few weeks as Ian experienced the City of Lights and the south central French country side where the Gilberts were restoring a farmhouse. Then, she would return to Paris, and they would both travel back home.

It was an amazing experience. The Gilberts live on Ile St. Germaine, a small island downstream from the Notre Dame. It is an area full of houseboats and is a little village within the huge metropolis of Paris.

Ian told us stories of waterskiing on the Seine River, and of a kayak race that Cyprien’s father hosted for his company. Ian and Cyprien made a formidable team as they won the doubles event.

Ian became a member of the family, which says a lot since they already had six young Gilberts in the family. Everything was wonderful, and when Ian returned we swept him up and headed out to Wyoming for some much needed fly-fishing.

When Marty emailed us this past February she was excited and again asking for our help. It was time for Cyprien to head to the States and stay for three months. By this time, however, Marty’s children were grown with families of their own, and she felt we were a better option for Cyprien. She asked if we would consider hosting him.

We were ecstatic at the opportunity to repay the generosity the Gilberts had shown Ian, and we jumped at the idea of having Cyprien stay with us. Cyprien’s parents, Laurent and Clotilde, brought Cyprien over and stayed a long weekend with us in April. Cyprien was welcomed with open arms into the Glen Lake School community where he felt right at home. We went over his schedule and laughed as we explained his first class to him: “power lifting”.

We have talked several times with Laurent and Clotilde, and they are so thankful. Cyprien lives a very urban life in Paris and, at times, finds it very difficult. He has been harassed while riding his bike home from school; he cannot go to the local soccer pitch to play without an adult with him, and he craves the opportunity to get out of the city to the countryside. To say that he loves Leelanau County would be an understatement. He has told us several times that for anyone to experience the openness and acceptance he has found here would be impossible in Paris.

Cyprien is spending his last few weeks here before his parents and family arrive to row with Ian and the rowing club at Fountain Point Resort on Lake Leelanau, to feed the horses, chickens, pigs and cows, to ride horses with my wife Laura in the upper pasture and to ride his bike to his English lessons down the road with Mike Durban. He has become a part of our family and it will be hard to say good-bye. I can only hope that the exchanges can continue.