By Ethan Ching
New Hyde Park’s International Culture Club is one that focuses on the cultural exchange and expression of various cultures within the school community. Starting this school year, the ICC welcomes Ms. Mei-Chan as its new adviser, who is just as nervous as she is ecstatic to lead the club.
Source by Alvin Paul
Ms. Mei and the new ICC officers meet to discuss their plans for the ICC's first meeting.
Of all the clubs available at the school, the International Culture Club resonates with Ms. Mei-Chan the most. She feels it’s the club she is most prepared to lead. Due to her background, she understands the idea of multiculturalism and the struggles and advantages that come with it.
“I am a TCK, third culture kid… someone who is born or raised in a culture that is different from their parents or different from their nationality,” Ms. Mei-Chan said. “Someone who went back and forth in between two or more cultures during their childhood, and felt like they didn’t belong in either one and so creating a third culture that is influenced by both the parents’ culture and the culture where they reside in.”
Ms. Mei-Chan’s new role as ICC adviser provides a different perspective on the club's purpose, combining old traditions in addition to the new.
“This year, I want to educate and celebrate multiculturalism through food, art, music, languages and holidays,” Ms. Mei-Chan said.
She aims to create a space for students of different backgrounds and cultures to come together and connect with others.
“The goal is to first UNITE. Let’s get together. Second is to EDUCATE. Learn from each other. And third is to CELEBRATE,” Ms. Mei-Chan said.
Many students are excited about this change and are looking forward to what Ms. Mei-Chan brings to ICC, including the club’s officers.
"We’re thrilled to welcome Ms. Mei as our new adviser!" ICC president Angelina Alias said. "ICC is the largest club in the school, and with that, comes a tremendous amount of responsibility. However, under her leadership, we’re already planning events for the months ahead. With Ms. Mei as our advisor, I have no doubt that we're going to have a great year."
“As someone who had Mrs. Mei as my Spanish teacher last year, I know ICC will be in good hands because Mrs. Mei is the GOAT,” junior Joseph James said.
“I’m so excited for all the events we will have this year in ICC where everyone is accepted,” sophomore Samay Patel said. “We’re lucky to have a wonderful advisor like Mrs. Mei who will make all the events even more fun.”
Many students feel that under Ms. Mei-Chan's guidance, ICC will continue to grow and teach the NHP community about the importance of cultural exchange and expression.