Thursday Dec. 13 International Club hosted its annual winter activity: making gingerbread houses. The club, which aims to form bonds between South students and foreign exchange students, plans activities to expose both to new cultures and traditions. First semester, exchange students are invited to traditional American activities, such as pumpkin carving for Halloween and pie baking for Thanksgiving. Thursday was the third and last meeting of the first semester.

Despite some initial confusion over an implied cancellation, due to the absence of the club sponsor, Sally Guillen, junior and co-president Ben Bernard was able to secure an alternative in Room 266, where science teacher Jan Alderson was happy to help.

“You guys have a very large crowd,” she said, surprised by the couple dozen students in participation.

Exchange students were distributed among groups of four to six, where graham crackers, frosting, and various types of candy were used to build the not-so-sound structures.

Brazilian exchange student Lissandra Souza, however, was pleased with her gingerbread house.

“I’m happy; [nothing] fell off at all,” she said, excited that she had produced such a neat, free-standing house on her first attempt.

Souza had never heard of the tradition, and thought it was “fun and messy.”

International Club encourages members to come to second semester meetings, in which exchange students will present on their own cultures and home lives.