New Exchange Student from Germany

There is another new Rotary Exchange Student at Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate. Nicolas Morath, from Germany, gave a presentation on himself to the Melfort Rotary Club on Tuesday evening as he is part of the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program.

Morath has been in Melfort for about a month after spending the first part of his Rotary Exchange in the eastern part of Oregon.

“I lived in the States for six and a half months,” Morath said.

One reason he went on the Rotary Exchange is that he loves to travel.

“Travel is what makes me happy as a person,” he said.

Travel is also a path to personal growth according to Morath.

“What I found is I don’t want to work for someone else in my life. I developed myself as a person. We always say in a year of exchange you rise as a person. Traveling, it just increases my view as a person and it opens your eyes to what is out there. When you grow up somewhere you have your group of people,” he explained.

The new experiences are a large part of it. Morath is going ice fishing for the first time next week, for example.

“Which is like -30 that’s cold. I had never had anything cold and now I am leaving myself when it’s -10 wearing shorts and a t-shirt. In  Germany I would be wearing ski pants. It makes me confident, meeting new people, making new experiences and meeting people and having good talks,” Morath said.

The presentation was also part of that personal growth.

“Like tonight, it makes me more confident as a person.”

Overall, Morath has enjoyed his time in Melfort to this point.

“When I first came here I was kind of shocked because it was really cold. I was freaking out. It was really cold and it was not as big as I expected it to be. I am coming from a small town. Then I met the people and Canadians are so nice. They just welcomed me,” he explained.

Morath is staying with the Robins family from the Salvation Army at this point.

 Though he makes his home on the banks of the Rhine in Germany attends school in Switzerland.

“I can see the Rhine from my window,” he explained.

This happens because there is no international border between the two countries. The school is an IB (International Baccalaureate) League school and also another reason why he is on the exchange.

“It’s an international diploma that you can get at certain schools. There is just a couple of them in the states. It means basically when I finish college. I have the degree at an English speaking university for an entrance test. It’s just a really high diploma that proves your English speaking skills,” he explained.

“I don’t know how common it is in Canada, in Europe it is pretty common. It is just another degree you get,” Morath added.

According to Morath going on something like a Rotary Exchange is recommended for students in IB League schools.

“Everything is going to be taught in English. In order to get the diploma I just need really good English. The reason I went on exchange in North America was to get my diploma,”  Morath said.