On Thursday, December 22nd, North Penn’s foreign exchange students joined the Japanese classes for a culturally enlightening field trip to the Mitsuwa shopping complex in New Jersey, also known as “Little Japan.” With the New York City skyline right across the Hudson River, the exchange students and the International Friendship Club officers indulged in Japanese culture and food for a day, visiting Japanese bookstores and knick-knack shops and eating traditional ramen and soba noodles for lunch. Tobias Damrat and Svenja Johannessen of Germany, Carmen Guerrero of Spain, and Hadrien Guichard of France found the trip to be entertaining, as it was a new culture to experience in another country.
After coming back to school from the trip, the exchange students and the IFC officers engaged in a little holiday fun with a Pollyanna, with random names chosen out of a bag the previous week. At IFC advisor Noriko Coyle’s house, the students gave presents to their random person, including scarves, chocolates, and Phillies memorabilia. Afterwards, the group had snacks and participated in making candy sushi together for everyone to bring home. The IFC co-presidents Chris McGuriman and Aarathi Menon, secretary Nicollette VanDenPlas, and treasurer Alexandra Bonagura were happy for the successful Pollyanna and hope for the tradition to continue for future exchange students.