Simon Schoppmann, 17, from Duisburg, Germany, has been attending school at David Thompson Secondary School as part of the international student program.

It was a personal choice of Schoppmann’s to make the jump and go to school in British Columbia and be a part of the international student program.

Since attending school in the Columbia Valley, Schoppmann feels that his English has really improved.

Schoppmann has been getting the most out of the Columbia Valley, especially when it comes to the mountains.

“I like snowboarding,” said Schoppmann, who partook in the activity avidly during the winter season.

Schoppmann did have one nuisance to touch upon about the Valley and Canada in general – something a bit more pestering than the surprise sight of deer in his Valley home one day.

“The legal drinking age in Germany is 14,” Schoppmann explained. “But here it’s 19.”

Being 17-years-old, Schoppmann admitted he wasn’t too pleased with this revelation.

Rocky Mountain School District No. 6 offers an International Student Program that has been in operation since 1987. For more information about the program, visit http://www.sd6.bc.ca/international.php