This time, we’re shining the spotlight on Juliah Rais-Morres — our current president of HIWC 💙
Juliah was born and raised in Malaysia, where she lived until she was 18. She then moved to the United States to study Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University. After nearly six years in the US, she returned to Malaysia and worked there for a year and a half. It was during the final months of her studies that she met her future German husband, which eventually led her to relocate to Heidelberg, Germany in late 1989 when the Berlin wall fell.
What she genuinely appreciates about Germany and the region where she lives? She loves how Heidelberg’s international vibe brings people together from all over, making it feel so open and alive. It’s super family-friendly, which makes it easy to settle in and feel at home.
Her struggle in Germany? The language barrier and the unfriendliness of the Germans during her early years living in Heidelberg.
What she does? Juliah has always balanced motherhood and career, returning to work just six months after each of her children was born. Now, with her two children all grown up—30 and 34—she’s so proud of who they’ve turned out to be. After nearly 30 years in the private sector, Juliah now works full-time as a Landscape Architect for the City of Heidelberg’s Landscape and Forestry Department. Her focus? Designing playgrounds and kindergarten outdoor spaces—basically, creating fun, safe, and inspiring places for kids to explore and enjoy. It’s a job she absolutely loves.
Her hobbies: When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her cooking as she is a foodie, gardening, sewing and helping others.
What she would like to make more time for? Going for a walk in the forest. Her guilty pleasure? Cookies and German cake (Kuchen). German cakes are incredibly versatile and simply too delicious to resist.
A fun throwback fact: At just 15, Juliah won her first ever school’s singing contest—her very first time performing with a band in front of a big crowd! Living in a student dormitory at the time, she was known for belting out tunes in the bathroom, where her peers overheard and encouraged her to enter the competition. To this day, she still wonders how she managed to pull it off! Juliah is serving her third term as our club president. We’re so grateful for you, Juliah!