Exeter-Milligan Welcomes Marietta Purtschert

Marietta Purtschert is really enjoying everything about America as a foreign exchange student at Exeter-Milligan.

She misses a few things in her native Switzerland like the chocolate and the bread but claims she doesn’t miss the school.  “I wanted a break from school, to do something I had never done before.  School in Switzerland is hard.”

This year Purtschert is living with Exeter-Milligan junior Marissa Howard and her family, Marcy and Mark Reinsch and their children.

She misses her younger brothers Tim and Raphael who are 12 and 14 along with her parents but so far she is having a great time.

One of her goals this year was to improve her English, “Coming to America is just cool.  Everyone in Switzerland wants to come to America.”

On her way to Nebraska, Purtschert attended an Education First (EF) camp which she really enjoyed, “we went to Boston and had school and activities there.  We did some group stuff and tried all of the sports.”

As far as missing home, besides her family, Purtschert is really missing, “my freedom.  Living in the country is harder because I can’t drive.  I always have to have someone bring me somewhere.  At home I ride my bike everywhere.  I also miss fresh fruit, vegetables and fresh bread.”

At Exeter-Milligan Purtschert is playing volleyball and will play basketball and participate in track.  She is really looking forward to track as she spent eight years doing high jump, long jump and a few other field events.

She is enjoying the school so far, “Everyone is like chill.  All the teachers and students are so nice.  We have a lot more studying, homework and tests in Switzerland.”

Purtschert also likes all the school spirit she sees at sporting events, “My friends in Switzerland are all so jealous.  It’s like the movies here, everybody keeps supporting everybody and cheering for everyone.”

Speaking English has been the hardest for her, “Now I can understand almost everything and I am used to it.  Speaking is so hard because I can’t really say what I want to.  A smaller school is good especially at the beginning.”