FRENCH students Laurene Forgeot, Maxime Tanghe and Typhaine Lecuyer have been making themselves at home in the Wimmera.
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The trio have spent six weeks with host families in Horsham while attending St Brigid's College.
They are among a group of 21 French students on a six-week exchange in Victoria.
Maxime believes the Horsham students got the better end of the deal.
"Most of the other students are in or around Melbourne," he said.
"We are the only ones to go to the country.
"Melbourne is like all the other cities, but here is more typical.
"People are more friendly here."
Typhaine has quickly adapted to the region's strong sporting culture.
"My host family is very sporty," she said.
"They play football, netball and basketball.
"I'm loving the experience and how welcoming everybody is.
"When I go down the street with my house mother she knows everybody."
Laurene's host family has also shown her various parts of the state.
"My family has taken me to different places such as the Grampians and Melbourne," she said.
"We also went to Warrnambool, to the beach, where there were surfers."
It is Laurene's second visit to Australia.
All three students would like to return.
"I want to come back in summer because I hear it's a great time to visit," Typhaine said.
Maxime, who has taken up Australian Rules boundary umpiring, is happy with the current weather conditions.
"To be at school in 40 degrees is too much for me," he said.
St Brigid's College deputy principal Kingsley Dalgleish said the school had hosted French students since 2007.
"We have three or four students each year and it's always been a positive experience for both the students and the school," he said.
"It allows the students to interact and the host families get a lot out of it as well.
"These three have slotted in nicely. They're great kids."