A warm excited feeling filled the room during the Latino Cultural Association meeting this past week. Students from different cultures greeted each other with hugs and kisses as The Luis Miguel played in the background.The Latino Cultural Association is a program that helps students learn about different Latino cultures.

Maydell Viveros, a freshman from Leon, Mexico, is the president of the LCA and said of planning their activities, “We make sure the culture can be shared, we are spiritually strengthened and we have fun learning about each others cultures.”

Celebrating Valentine’s Day the LCA performed a proclamation of love in the form of a skit that traditionally comes from Mexico as part of their weekly meeting.

Stephanie Leal, a freshman from Richmond Va., and vice president of the LCA, said the skit tells a story of how two lovers met.

“He gets his friends together and they go to her house at 2 in the morning. He has to bring roses and serenades her from outside,” Leal said.

The girl customarily waits two songs before going outside. When she does the music gets louder. She goes down to meet him and the boys do one more song and he professes his undying love for her.

The show is elaborate with a vase of flowers and four boys singing to the girl perched on a chair.

This customary act is still very much a part of the Latino culture and as the students act it out the guests get a better understanding of the culture.

“My favorite part about the LCA is mingling, laughing,” said Jorge Acosta, a senior from Quito, Ecuador, “We are happy people and we like to laugh and tease each other.”

Members agree that they find comfort and enjoyment in sharing their culture and making friends. “It is a time to share things you have in your culture that most of the time you don’t use here,” said Alvaro Yepes, a freshman from Maracaibo, Venezuela.

The music, dancing, prayer and games all help unite the members of the LCA. Yepes said the best thing about the LCA is that “you are always informed about every single party on campus.”

Juan Morales, a junior from Zamora, Mexico, also enjoys the atmosphere. “I like the noise, the jokes, the dance and food, but most of all the first two,” Morales said.

Members of the LCA attend weekly meetings and share different parts of their culture with each other.

“We talk about different Mexican cultures, play games, sing and dance, sometimes we have dance workshops like salsa dancing. The relationships we all have really bring us together. We have become good friends,” said Morales.

Eduardo Castillo, a sophomore from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, has been a member of the LCA for two years.

“We learn from each others’ different cultures. Even though we speak the same language we are different. Each culture has its own idiosyncrasies. We like to compare lifestyles, food, etc.,” Castillo said.

Though the early morning serenade differs from the traditional box of chocolates, being able to learn the ways of different cultures is intriguing and exciting for members of the LCA.

“It is a good opportunity for people to get closer to new cultures. It shows you a little bit about who we are — a little bit of us here in Rexburg. It is the closest thing to flying somewhere. It gives you the feeling of being in that country and being part of that culture,” Castillo said.

The LCA emphasizes the idea of different Latino cultures.

“It is nice for others to know about each country. The diversity enriches our experience, you get to know somebody from a different country and learn the truths about peoples’ perceptions,” Castillo said.

With plenty of members and a very joyous atmosphere, the members of the LCA agree that they are having a great time sharing the details of each other’s countries and making new friends.

Though many said the program makes them yearn for home, especially when hearing music from their country or sharing their traditions, it doesn’t hinder them from attending the meetings.

“It is supposed to make you homesick, but it doesn’t make me homesick, it makes me happy,” Morales said.