In the early 1990s, 19-year-old Holly Deiaco-Smith flew from JFK to spend a year studying in Nancy, in northeastern France. At first she felt excited, but within weeks that excitement gave way to isolation and loneliness. Everyday life was harder than she expected, and speaking French was especially difficult.
She could follow some conversations but was terrible at speaking; her accent made it hard for people to understand her. Repeated misunderstandings left her emotionally drained and worried about the rest of the year. The one small comfort was a care package from her mother that included Skippy peanut butter — something she couldn’t find in France — and she imagined savoring a spoonful as a taste of home.
At the post office, the clerk didn’t speak English and had trouble with her French-accented requests. Frustrated and near tears, Holly felt hopeless — until Chantal Jouve arrived. Jouve stepped in and, speaking English, asked, ‘Can I help you?’ She spoke to the attendant, and within minutes the package was handed over.
After that first encounter, Jouve invited Holly to dinner the next Sunday. That single invitation became a weekly tradition: every Sunday Holly joined Jouve and her family. Those meals became a safe place to practice French without the sadness and frustration she’d felt before; it felt like a home away from home.
Decades later the two remain in touch, exchanging Christmas cards and visiting each other’s families. Deiaco-Smith says that Jouve’s small act of kindness left a lasting impression — it taught her to notice when strangers might need help and to offer kindness in return. She says she will be forever grateful to Madame Jouve.
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