On the first day of Florient's stay, Nicola observes, "Both my sons are completely exhausted. Florient never ever stands still I keep asking him if he's tired and he looks at me with big brown eyes all innocence and says "Non". It's rather like having a mad puppy in the house. He's a very nice chap, funny and good natured. "
Mike, Nicola's 11 year old son reveals: " I rarely speak to him much. When he speaks to me in French he goes on and on for about 5 minutes without stopping. I just say yes or no to make him be quiet because I've no idea what he's saying..." And Tom , who is 13, also finds communication a bit haphazard: "I don't really translate, but I listen to what he's saying, then work it out, then guess as to the answer and then just hope that I'm right really."
As the visit continues, Nicola realises that "Being a foreigner and not speaking a language is rather like being deaf. You don't realise other people are talking. Florient's presence also made her realise that, "one of the alarming things about having someone to stay is that they don't adhere to the same house rules as your family and you don't realise how complicated they are until you get a complete stranger who has no understanding of them whatsoever... "
Nicola's husband finds Florient, "Charming. He's really making an effort. We talked about the European community at his request. I was rather taken aback by this conversation with a 10 year old in a foreign language."
Mike is not eager to make a return visit to Florient's family, "They get up at 6 am and go to bed at 8. They have a rule for everything, and if they do anything wrong they get hit across the knuckles with a knife handle."
On the day Florient returns home, Nicola waves him off and announces to Mike "He's gone"
"Yesss!" exclaims Mike.
