New international club joins list of groups

By: Amna Haider

The screen goes black. Someone in the back of the room flicks the lights on, earning  groans from a few of the students. As their eyes adjust to the light, German teacher Gunda Brost makes her way to the front of the room, a smile slowly forming on her already enthusiastic face.

The students had just finished watching the movie Amreeka. Set in 2001 America, Amreeka documents the lives of a Palestinian American family Post-9/11. The movie focuses on the issues going on in America as well as the rest of the world.

German teacher Gunda Brost chose this movie with great care. “I wanted to show this movie because it’s the anniversary of 9/11, so it relates to current events. Students can learn from it. It is an experience from another point of view,” she said. Brost projected this movie for the first meeting of the International Club, a club she began recently during power hour.

Brost is a German American; she grew up in Germany, moving to America when she was a young girl. Aware of the struggles immigrants face in a new place, she decided to take advantage of power hour and create a long overdue club called the International Club. Brost created this club so she could help international students here at Cedar Falls High School adjust better and teach the students that are already here about other cultures. “I grew up in Germany. And coming to a different culture, I’ve always had a soft soft part in my heart for that,” Brost said.

Meetings will be held at least once a month, Wednesday through Friday, during both shifts of power hour in room 140 or 141. “We will watch movies from other countries, have guest speakers. I know someone who is a childhood survivor of slavery. It would be cool to have her join. If a student just wants to come and talk about their culture and bring some food, that would be great. I’m hoping students will come and learn and meet each other,” Brost said.

She hopes the International Club will be a positive way to spend spare time during power hour. “If you’re interested in learning about other cultures or people, just come. It’s supposed to be really open. Stop by when you can. There’s no commitment,” Brost said.

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