InterVarsity in the Lindenwood Newspaper

http://media.www.lulegacy.com/

Group starts monthly events for Lindenwood students

Hiroko Furuhashi

Issue date: 3/12/09 

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has launched Culture Break, a monthly cultural exchange event.

Both international and American students will be able to share their cultures and foods through the event, said Krissy Pfeil, a staff member of InterVarsity.

“We wanted to throw some weekend activities on campus,” Pfeil said. “The international students cannot go home for the weekend like other local students do. So InterVarsity found a need for … the event [so] that the international students can feel at home.”

Freshman Coline Camps appreciates the activity. “This gives us things to do,” Camps said. “The campus is dead on the weekend. There is nothing we can do.”

Culture Break is open and free for anyone – another goal of the program is to enhance cultural understanding among students.

“I think this event opens up the chances for students to interact with other cultures,” Sophomore Jack Kennedy said.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship was founded to unite a community of Christian students who will be mentored toward having a real effect on campus. It has helped international students by hosting events, taking field trips and providing transportation.

The first Culture Break took place at the Loft on Feb. 20. More than 100 students enjoyed foods from eight different countries. After the food was gone, the participants danced to foreign music.

Camps enjoyed her first taste of Nepalese food. Nepalese restaurants are not popular in her home country, France. “It was spicy, but tasted good,” Camps said.

Kennedy experienced sushi, a traditional Japanese food, for the first time. “I would never have tried sushi if I was not there that night,” Kennedy said.

Culture Break will be held once a month on a Friday night. Further dates have not been set.

Pfeil said the organization plans to have more music, dances and games in addition to the food at the next Culture Break.

“We hope that the event will let students meet new people, get to know each other, and bring fun activity on campus,” Pfeil said.