15 Minutes with Morgan Rouch, 2013 AHS Graduate
By Bailey Bowers
What have you been up to since your graduation from Ada High School?
I am studying pharmacy at Ohio Northern University and run track and cross country here.
What is it about pharmacy and Spanish that you like? What drew you to those areas of study?
I guess I always knew I wanted to do something in the health field, and somehow pharmacy just seemed to be the perfect fit for me. With my brother and sister both studying pharmacy and my mom a nurse, it was always something in the back of my mind.
After volunteering at Lima Memorial Hospital for a couple of summers, I got more interested which made the decision to go into a health related career even easier. As for Spanish, I really liked my high school class and teacher so I wanted to continue on taking classes in college as well. I find different cultures and people very interesting and love to learn about the differences in beliefs and customs.
Were you hesitant at all to attend college in your hometown? If so, what helped you to overcome those hesitations?
YES. I always said as long as I can remember that I would go away to school and never ever go to a school in my hometown. I didn’t want to be that girl and go to school practically in my backyard.
But when it came down to it my senior year and once I started looking at other schools, I realized how good of a school ONU really is and that it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. I am so glad that I made that decision because I have met so many people that I would’ve never known had I not gone to school here and I am not missing out on the “college experience” at all.
You recently studied abroad in Spain. How did you get that opportunity? Was studying in a different country difficult? What kind of classes did you take?
I always dreamed of studying abroad sometime so I would stop and read every single poster or brochure they were passing out at the dining hall. (laughs) I was maybe a little obsessed.
One day, I just walked into the study abroad office and talked to my advisor about it for a few weeks off and on and next thing I knew I was filling out the paper work! While I was there I took all Spanish classes going toward my minor including a field study, a Spanish Culture class, a Conversation class, and a Spanish art class. Studying in a different country definitely had its difficulties, mainly because of the language barrier.
All my classes were taught in Spanish and a few of the professors didn’t even know English. But other than that, the classes weren’t too difficult and you have lots of time to get homework done (you know, on the beach or at a café)
Tell us about living with a host family and what the culture of Spain is like. How is it different from the US? Did you have a favorite local food or tradition?
I got so close to my host family and they really were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’ll be honest; I was getting a little spoiled living there. My host family included me in all of their family events and made me feel like part of their family.
I noticed that the people in San Sebastian, where my host family lived, were all very nice and helpful whenever I needed anything. They love speaking with you if you want to practice your Spanish and won’t be rude or anything if you don’t get it exactly right. One of the hardest things for me was getting used to their accents.
In the beginning, my host mom would have to write things down on a notepad in Spanish for me to be able to understand! By the end of the month, I got a lot better just from being completely surrounded by it—including watching tv in Spanish, taking classes in Spanish, and ordering food in Spanish.
My host mom would cook every meal for me, Sergio, my host dad, and Miriam, my host sister. Their meal schedule is a little different in Spain, so they eat around 8 am, 3 pm, and 10 pm. That definitely took some getting used to! The biggest meal was always around 3 and right before bed we normally just had a small salad with fish or chicken. My favorite meal was paella. It’s a dish of rice, and different types of seafood like mussels, shrimp and crab. YUM.
Are there any other aspects of your Spain adventure you’d like to share?
There are so many things I could write about and go on forever! I actually kept a blog while I was there if you would like to look at that:
http://nuevasaventurasenespana.blogspot.com.es
Do you have a fondest high school memory you’d like to share?
I don’t think that there is one thing I could pick out! I will never forget the countless Friday nights sitting in the stands watching football games rain or shine, all the school dances, playing volleyball and basketball with my best friends for 4 years, or all the anticipation and fun times of senior year and graduation.
You were a very active student in high school, participating in many sports and extracurriculars. Have you continued being active in college? What are you involved in?
I am a member of Kappa Epsilon, which is a professional Pharmacy fraternity, Indoor/outdoor Track and Field, Cross-country, Habitat for Humanity, Fusion which is a Bible study/worship service, and next year I will be an RA.
If you were to give a piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be and why?
Don’t spend your whole life in your comfort zone. It’s not hard to do the easy thing and follow the crowd but if you really want to make a difference and stand out, be unique and do something you believe in.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I honestly have no idea! I think everyone kind of has a vision of where they would like to be—with a job and a family, etc—but that’s all part of life and the journey there. I think I’ll figure it out along the way.
What is it about Ada that makes it so special?
Ada is home. It is the epitome of small town charm where everybody knows everybody and I love that. I love the Friday night football nights, the Harvest and Herb festival, the Wilson football factory, and everything else the town has to offer. I loved growing up here and I think that all the memories make it an even more special place.
Thanks for talking with us, Morgan.
