Girls Galore For A Newtown Family

By Nancy K. Crevier

Pastor Ernestine Urquhart and her husband, Norman, have had nothing but girls, girls, girls in their lives all summer. Not only have the Urquhart’s been host to two of Pastor Urquhart’s nieces from Long Island, Ettienne, 13, and Anastasia Cohen, 14, for the past year, they have hosted two pairs of young women from France this summer, as well. Beginning in July until Saturday, August 8, Marine Vigand and Victoria Nory of France were guests of the Urquharts, as well as an additional French student, Sophia Paroussglou, who was with them for four days in between host homes.

Overlapping the first experience was the arrival on Wednesday, August 5, of Clemence Ludger, 14, from the Provence region of France, and the arrival on Thursday, August 6, of Marine Papin, 14, from Cour di Manche, near Paris.

The Urquharts have three adult sons, S. Cortlandt, Troy, and Blake, and have hosted several other exchange students since the years that their own children were in high school, but this summer, “It’s almost like a culture shock to have a house full of just girls,” laughed Pastor Urquhart, who is the pastoral leader of the Guiding Light interdenominational church in Bethel on Route 6.

The Urquharts’ previous experiences with foreign exchange students occurred during the years that they lived in West Norwalk. This summer was the first time in the six years that they have lived in Newtown that Pastor Urquhart’s busy schedule has allowed her to host again, as much as she loved it.

“My friend, Daphne Clarke-Hudson, whom I know through the prison fellowship ministry we both provide, was the coordinator for the Echanges Culturels Internationaux (ECI) group that Clemence and Marine came through,” said Pastor Urquhart. “Hosting exchange students is a nice way to introduce others to how we live in America, and bring a different culture into our home. It really is exciting to see from year to year the differences in the cultures. Even with the boys, in recent years I see that the kids love to do more shopping [than our first exchange students did] and they are very specific as to which designers they are looking for when they shop,” she said.

Having exchange students seemed like a great way for her nieces to discover the similarities and differences between young people in other parts of the world and America, she said, and to keep her nieces occupied during the summer months. “Anastasia tends to be a little withdrawn and shy, but she has really taken to the French girls,” said Pastor Urquhart. “She loves visiting with them one-on-one and they are very understanding about her shyness, invite her into their rooms, and spend time together. It is really nice to see,” she said.

“It’s fun [having Clemence and Marine living here],” said Anastasia, and Ettienne added that she enjoys comparing the things that are similar and the things that differ in their cultures. “For instance, Clemence and Marine’s school day schedule is different. They go to school only in the mornings and have the afternoons free. That’s really not like here at all,” said Ettienne.

Ettienne and Anastasia have introduced their new French friends to neighborhood friends, have spent a good deal of time bonding over video games and shopping, and taken advantage of the warm weather to enjoy the family’s backyard pool. But living with the Urquharts comes with some required restrictions, too.

“The families understand that when their child comes to live with me, that we don’t drink, we don’t smoke, we don’t curse, and I don’t approve of wild music,” she said. “But every child we have hosted has been respectful and seems to love us as much as we love them.”

Clemence said that in France, she does not attend church regularly, and Marine is of the Catholic faith, but both young women said that their favorite experience so far in America was Sunday.

“It was a day ‘fantastique,’” exclaimed Clemence. “We went to the church of Pastor Urquhart and it was a very good time,” she said.

“I also loved Sunday,” said Marine. “The American people are very nice.”

Following service on Sunday, the family traveled to Long Island where they attended a pool party and barbeque at Pastor Urquhart’s brother’s home. “We do not have the party like this in France,” said Clemence. “It was very fun.”

Chile con carne is also Clemence’s new favorite American food, since attending the barbeque, while Marine has added doughnuts and hot dogs to her list of favorite foods. “I also did not before have the cupcake,” said Clemence, “and I liked it very much.”

Communication, although the Urquharts and their nieces speak next to no French, has not been an issue, said Pastor Urquhart. Clemence has taken English for five years in school, as has Marine, and they are very willing to ask, and to ask again if need be, the family has found, in order to understand.

“I understand easily, but sometimes it is hard to say [what I mean],” said Clemence.

Clemence and Marine have already been given a tour of the Newtown highlights, such as the Ram Pasture, Edmond Town Hall, the Meeting House, the General Store, and of course, they have seen the flagpole in the center of Main Street, said Pastor Urquhart. “They thought that that was very unusual, and took lots of pictures of the flagpole and Main Street,” she said.

Next on the list is a trip to the Ice Cream Shop on Church Hill, and to another Newtown favorite, The Creamery on Route 302.

The Urquhart family and their guests will be visiting Boston and New York City in the upcoming two weeks, along with other ECI exchange students in the region, as well as spending a day at the Six Flags amusement park in Agawam, Mass.

“This is my first time to America,” said Marine. “It has been my dream to go to the US and New York City. Going there is a very big experience for me,” she said, carefully choosing her words. She is looking forward to visiting Boston, as well.

“For me, New York City is the capital of the world,” said Clemence. “I am very excited to go there and go shopping!”

The usual city attractions are also high on the list of places to visit in New York, said both Clemence and Marine.

They are also curious about a special, upcoming event that will occur during their visit.

“At first I thought we would be too busy and that it would be too much, and I was going to have Clemence and Marine go to another host home for a few days during the Crusade, but when they found out, they begged to stay here,” said Pastor Urquhart.

The Crusade is the three-day “Old Time Holy Ghost Fire Crusade” on the Danbury Green the end of the month, which Pastor Urquhart is presenting. “They asked if there would be Gospel music, and I said, ‘Oh, yes,’ and they were so excited,” she said. “It is certainly not something they have seen in France,” she said.

In just a few short days, as with her other exchange students, Pastor Urquhart has become very attached to her visitors.

“It has been a wonderful summer for us. What I love about having a houseful of girls is the learning that goes on about the other cultures, showing the love God has given me to people who are very different from me, and having them take back a little part of that to their families.”