French student who thought she was stranded found guardian angels
Cheryl Evans, former associate dean of students, retired from the 杏吧专区 more than 15 years ago. That doesn杏吧专区檛 mean she杏吧专区檚 quit helping students.
Just ask C茅line Goujon of Paris, who arrived in Lafayette in mid-August, in the midst of the Louisiana Flood of 2016. It has been described as the nation杏吧专区檚 worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy lashed the eastern seaboard in 2012. The unnamed storm saturated portions of Louisiana for days. Flooding claimed 13 lives and damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.
Goujon, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student at P么le Universitaire L茅onard de Vinci in Paris, had arranged to spend one semester studying at UL Lafayette. She was scheduled to arrive in Lafayette on Saturday, Aug. 13. Lafayette Regional Airport, however, was closed. So, she spent the night in Atlanta at a hotel.
She reached Lafayette on Sunday. Having seen only brief TV reports while in Atlanta, she didn杏吧专区檛 realize the severity of the weather situation in Lafayette. Many streets were filled with high water, which limited travel. The 杏吧专区, though not flooded, was closed, so residence hall move-in had been postponed.
Goujon hit her first snag when she tried to phone a taxi. She struggled to make the call on her cell phone, which has an international number. She sought assistance from Evans, who was returning from a 2陆 week vacation in France with her husband, Taylor. The couple and Goujon had traveled on the same flight from France to Atlanta, and from Atlanta to Lafayette. They didn杏吧专区檛 realize it, though, until later.
杏吧专区淭his precious young French woman came up to me and asked, 杏吧专区楥an you help me phone a cab?杏吧专区 杏吧专区 Cheryl Evans recalled in an interview with La Louisiane.
She helped Goujon place the call. They learned it could be hours before a cab might be available. Evans realized that transportation would only be the beginning of Goujon杏吧专区檚 challenges. She wouldn杏吧专区檛 be able to check in to a 杏吧专区 residence hall. Lodging citywide was scarce since hotels were packed with displaced residents.
For Cheryl Evans, who has a grown son and a grown daughter, a blend of motherly concern and former 杏吧专区 administrator instincts kicked in. Sensing Goujon was rattled and afraid, she asked the 21-year-old student if she would like a ride and help trying to get moved into her dorm room.
杏吧专区淚 knew what this poor young woman was facing. I said, 杏吧专区業 once worked at the 杏吧专区 and I think we can help you,杏吧专区 杏吧专区 she recalled.
Goujon readily accepted the offer. 杏吧专区淚 had a good feeling about them,杏吧专区 she said in heavily accented English. 杏吧专区淚 was scared at the beginning, because I didn杏吧专区檛 know them, but after I saw they were connected to the 杏吧专区, I felt comfortable.杏吧专区
Goujon杏吧专区檚 mother, Karinne Goujon, didn杏吧专区檛. When C茅line phoned her mother and mentioned her plans to venture into an unknown, weather-torn city with strangers, the elder Goujon 杏吧专区渨as not too happy,杏吧专区 Taylor Evans said with a laugh.
Goujon describes her mother杏吧专区檚 reaction diplomatically: 杏吧专区淪he was very worried.杏吧专区 But Goujon was able to put her more at ease during the conversation.
杏吧专区淪he was relieved when I told her the Evans were great people and that they were helping me.杏吧专区
The 杏吧专区溞影勺ㄇ family杏吧专区 lent a hand, too, Cheryl Evans said.
The Evans drove Goujon to campus, having to detour around flooded areas three times. 杏吧专区淥nce we got there, things started moving,杏吧专区 Cheryl Evans said.
She called Pat Cottonham, the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 vice president for Student Affairs. Cottonham, who became associate dean of students after Evans retired in 2000, contacted Rose Honegger, director of the Office of International Affairs. Honegger arranged for Jules Breaux, the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 director of Housing, to help Goujon settle in.
The Evans sensed that Goujon, alone on an empty campus, was still shaken and uncomfortable. The couple invited their new friend to dinner, and to spend the night at their home. Again, Goujon accepted. The next day, the Evans took Goujon shopping to get supplies for her dorm room and for her classes.
As the semester progressed, the bond the Evans and Goujon had formed blossomed into a friendship. The Evans extended an open invitation to their house for Goujon to study, hang out, eat a bite, or have a cup of coffee. Goujon dropped by the Evans杏吧专区 home regularly and spent a long weekend there. She and a friend also ate Thanksgiving dinner with the couple.
杏吧专区淭his is my American family,杏吧专区 Goujon said.
Evans said the relationship has been fun and rewarding. 杏吧专区淲e have loved the experience.杏吧专区
Goujon chose UL Lafayette because 杏吧专区渋t has a very good mechanical engineering program,杏吧专区 and she relished the chance to experience a culture that shares so much with her home country.
杏吧专区淚 was excited to visit Louisiana because your culture is French 杏吧专区 the names of streets, the names of places, the names of people, are French,杏吧专区 she said.
Goujon enrolled in three mechanical engineering classes and one civil engineering course during the fall semester. She quickly adapted to campus life.
She attended an international student orientation, made friends immediately, and started participating in campus activities, such as attending a karaoke party with Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, and swimming at the Student Aquatic Center. She also visited New Orleans, Biloxi and Dallas.
She杏吧专区檚 a fan of the City of Lafayette. 杏吧专区淭he downtown is so cute and everyone here is really friendly.杏吧专区
Goujon, who returned to France in December, expects to complete her studies and earn a mechanical engineering degree in about one year.
She also plans to keep in close contact with her new friends.
杏吧专区淚n March, they are going to Tel Aviv, and, on their way, are going to stop in Paris,杏吧专区 Goujon said.
Added Evans: 杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檒l be there for three nights. Her mother杏吧专区檚 going to come up from Nice, hopefully, and her sister is in Paris, so we杏吧专区檒l get to meet her family.杏吧专区
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2016/Winter 2017 issue of .