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Last Tuesday, the Rotary Club held its weekly luncheon at the Kirbo Center, featuring several notable moments and distinguished guests.

During the luncheon, Assistant Governor Scott Rich honored the Rotary Club with a banner recognizing them as one of the top three highest per capita contributors in the district. Following the recognition, Bo Jones took the podium to introduce the Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP), an initiative that offers international students the opportunity to study for one academic year at a college or university in Georgia.

Jones then welcomed James Eubanks, Mayor of Pelham, Georgia, to introduce international student Max Raitt from Scotland. Raitt is currently attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) and is sponsored by the Bainbridge Rotary Club, Camilla Rotary Club, and Rotary Club of Pelham.

Raitt’s connection to the GRSP runs deep—his father, Alastair Raitt, participated in the program as part of the Class of 1994-95, attending West Georgia College (now the University of West Georgia) with sponsorship from the Rotary Clubs of Roswell-East and Alpharetta North. His Aunt Suzanne was also a GRSP participant in 1993-94, attending Georgia Southwestern State College with support from the Rotary Clubs of Americus and Cordele. Their glowing recollections of the experience inspired Raitt to pursue the same opportunity.

At the luncheon, Raitt presented “My Year in the Land of the Free,” highlighting his experiences in Georgia. His first slide showcased his time at ABAC and the various courses he took, including Macroeconomics, Human Resource Management, Health & Wellness, Walking, Selling & Negotiating, Social Media Marketing, Organizational Behavior, and First Aid & CPR.

He also spoke about Rotary events he attended across Georgia in cities like Columbus, Peachtree City, Savannah, Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Pelham, and Jekyll Island. Additionally, he shared cultural discoveries, from trying Southern cuisine—like okra, fried chicken, and tater tots—to learning about everyday American quirks, such as the ease of the driving test, the reality of pesky gnats, and colloquial expressions like “fixin’ to,” meaning about to do something.

Raitt highlighted cultural differences between Scotland and the United States, noting that Americans tend to be more cheerful, friendly, and informal. He observed that Scots prefer traveling the world, while Americans often prioritize settling down and starting families. He also pointed out contrasts in education costs—Scotland offers free education, while U.S. tuition can be quite expensive—and differences in food culture, with Scottish cuisine being heartier while American food is often designed for convenience.

As for his future plans, Raitt shared his upcoming trip to Canada to stay with his aunt, a journey down Route 66, and his hope to remain in the United States.

To conclude his presentation, Raitt played a five-minute video summarizing his incredible year in Georgia. The luncheon wrapped up with Rotary President Tommie Howell leading the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Creed.