Summer is here. Daylight is becoming shorter but the weather is heating up. We have had dust from the Saharan deserts blowing over the U. S., which NASA says isn’t unusual.
Bicycling has become one of the most popular sports in this pandemic! Want to try some different pedaling with your family? Head to downtown Indy to Wheel Fun Rentals. Try a surrey bike, tandem bike, or one of the many others.
Find some great Art on line. Georgia O'Keefe paintings have been digitized and are available for you to enjoy.
Fireworks and Carmel: yes, you can shoot off fireworks if you live in Carmel between June 29 and July 9 between nine PM and midnight. Be careful
Visas
We were discussing the current visa. Here is the official USCIS statement:
To highlight: If you have a current, valid H-18 or similar visa you are not affected by this proclamation. Additionally, if you hold a visa and have been abroad you can enter and/or re-enter if you hold a visa issued prior to the proclamation. Go to USICS.gov for more information and to file forms online. Be sure to access the official website and not advertised services.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30, Zoom.
We had a very interesting discussion on paying taxes and tricky questions asked to trap Jesus. His answers surprise them.
June 30: In Mark 13: 18-24 Jesus is asked about the status of marriage after death...
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30, Zoom.
Join us to chat and touch base.
Our group has turned over. We had a great time visiting with friends we haven't seen in a while. We found out that the Ukulele COVID cult continues to grow since three of us have been playing around with tunes on our ukuleles. UkuTabs is our favorite site for learning new songs.
July 1: Join us for tunes and some conversation.
English with Children:
Schools in Hamilton and Marion Counties will meet in person on the established dates! We are looking forward to getting together with our friends. Colleges and universities in Indiana are changing their schedule to allow for meeting gaps over peak health months in the winter.
Celebrating American Independence Day with your family and neighbors could have a different look, here is a great article from the History Channel with links to brief you on the history of Independence Day.
Attendance is dwindling or falling off at our Zoom meetings. I hope this is a good sign that you are out and about. I know a few of you are moving this month and July. Be sure to let me know your new address! Be sure to keep in touch! You can Zoom over after you get settled; watch the time zone.
And speaking of keeping in touch, Jon sent us an letter to update us on what is going on in Japan and his adaptation to life there. You can find it at the end of this update.
Sunday, June 21, is Father’s Day. Dad’s do so much for us. Dad’s make us laugh and never do things quite like mom, but maybe it’s a little more efficient! Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. Especially Gaga's husband! Welcome to the world Levi! What a great way to celebrate.
English
The Carmel Clay Library is open. Hours may be limited, so be sure to check.
There are so many great books to read over the summer:
Made in America: An Informal History of the English language in the United States by Bill Bryson
Please, please, please, pay attention to your capitalization...The cover of this paperback is all about catching attention, but the inside page is correct! Aside from teaching you more about American English, you can learn about American humor. By the way, staff, this is your required summer reading!
Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America by Linda Furiya
This book was on the Carmel Clay Library community read several years ago. The author grew up in central Indiana and it is a "food memoir" complete with recipes to enjoy along with each chapter. This book is so relatable to all of us who love our food and love each other's food, too! This is a great coming of age book that would be a fun read with your older children.
My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
This great memoir is the story of award winning chef and businesswoman and personality on PBS. Lidia is an asylum seeker that made and amazing life in New York and beyond. While there aren't recipes in this book, you can watch and learn cooking and a little Italian visiting her kitchen! Here is the link!Lidia Bastianich!
Virtual Visits and New Projects
The Virginia Quilter's Museum is... You can take tours of their exhibits. They also have projects and quilt alongs. Find some fun sewing projects here to expand beyond mask making!
COVID-19
Have you been out to the doctor or dentist for maintenance? Have you been to a hairdresser or barber? Would you risk a massage?
Office protocol may vary but the following is at Dr. Sang Kim's Retna Institute P.C.:
All the doors are kept open for less contact.
All patients' temperatures are taken before they are allowed into the office.
All the seats are separated six feet apart for people to sit at ocial distance.
If there are not enough seats, people have to wait out in the building lobby or in their car until they are called when they are ready to be seen.
Everyone (staff and patient) has to wear the mask all the times inside of the office.
Everything in the office gets disinfected between the patients' visit.
A glass divider is installed for check in/out to avoid close contact.
I hope this information helps people to feel more comfortable and be aware of what to do when they visit the doctor's office. ~ Sally Kim
Playgrounds
Don’t forget the basics of how the virus is spread as you get out. Loosened restrictions puts the responsibility on us to look out for each other by being proactive to protect others. CNN had a good article about things to keep in mind at the playground:
Density: How many people are in the area? Choose your space wisely.
Distance: Can you keep the six foot (two meter) distance? With children, this can be hard.
Duration: How long are you interacting with someone or something? Some studies say ten minutes of casual interaction is safe with a maximum of thirty minutes.
Degree of Activity: There is some discussion about moving around vs. being stationary. Imagine pushing your child on a swing six feet from another parent. Who has more exposure? The kids swinging or the parents?
Finally, there is dirt. Be sure to wash your hands. Use your water bottle to rinse off visible dirt before putting on hand sanitizer if soap and water for thorough hand washing isn't available.
International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30, Zoom.
Jesus tells a story with a morale in the Parable of the Tenants (given the responsibility to run the vineyard) in Mark 12: 1-12. We had a great discussion regarding abuses of responsibility and leadership including beating and murdering those given the authority to assure the enforcement by the owner. "What then will the owner...do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." Jesus then quoted Psalm 118, which most of the people were familiar with. The synogog leaders left, fearful of the people and what could happen to them.
June 23: We will meet to talk about Mark 12: 13-17. Current events should be pretty interesting...lately the lessons have been so apt. Jesus is questioned about paying taxes and for what is owed.
International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30, Zoom.
I am keeping the room open. Come in and say hi. What are you up to?
English with Children
Letter from Jon Howe
To Carolyn and all the teachers and students at International Friends,
Hello from Japan! I hope you are having a good summer, and that you have been safe. I know you had to finish the school year online, hopefully everyone was able to learn some useful English skills, despite not being able to meet in person.
I have been in Japan for three months now. The schools were closed for part of April and all of May, so I have not done very much teaching. Because of this, I was able to take my time learning how to live here - where to buy things, how to pay bills, how to use my bank account and send money from the USA, and also how to use the Japanese skills I had learned. My Japanese has improved a lot already.
Japan is very beautiful. I live in western Honshu, near Hiroshima, and there is a pond in this town, surrounded by cherry blossom trees. It has been raining a lot, and I love rain. Everyone here is very kind and considerate, I don't think I have seen one person be rude since I got here. I work at a junior high school and an elementary school; the teachers are wonderful people, and very skilled at working with the children.
Some things are still difficult for me. I am a picky eater, so the school lunches are sometimes difficult to eat, and when I go to the grocery store, it can be hard to find food that I want to buy. Driving on the left side of the road is very strange, and when I am driving, I have to be very careful and not get distracted.
However, these things are improving, and I am very happy that I moved to Japan, and being a teacher is a fun, rewarding job. Thank you all for supporting me in my efforts to move to Japan! Some days, I have to close my eyes for a moment, then open them to make sure I'm not dreaming.
Jonathan Howie
despite - something could not stop it ("we played baseball despite the heat")
take my time - do something at a slower pace ("he was early, so he took his time walking to school")
improve - get better ("I have been sick, but today it's improved")
surrounded - something is on all sides ("Japan is surrounded by water")
considerate - thinks about how others feel ("it was very considerate of you to give me that gift")
picky eater - dislikes many foods
get distracted - stop thinking about something ("the party distracted me from tomorrow's test")
Tuesday we got the remnants of the tropical storm Cristobol. Did you feel the humidity rise? Could you smell the ocean? Wednesday evening we got cool winds that feel more like vacationing in Door County, Wisconsin thanks to the winds coming out of the west that dropped snow in Colorado. This one of the best things about Indiana: you can experience two kinds of vacation weather in one day in your own yard!
The weekend was chilly: is this because the neighborhood pool opened? The weather knows! It never fails that when pools open the temperature is cold and when they close we have some of our hottest weather!
Be sure to get out after dark. The fireflies are out!
The song Fireflies by Owl City is the song to go along with this outing.
One of our Friends told me that she watches her favorite daytime TV and rewinds and plays and speaks the phrases after the actors to fine tune her English. Another Friend forwarded this punny note (I did a little language clean up) that describes the different medical experts jobs.
Medical experts were asked if it is time to ease the lockdown. Allergists were in favor of scratching it, but Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves. Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but Neurologists thought the government had a lot of nerve. Obstetricians felt certain everyone was laboring under a misconception, while Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted. Many Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while Pediatricians said, "Oh, grow up!" Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while Radiologists could see right through it. Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and Pharmacists claimed it would be a bitter pill to swallow.in Plastic Surgeons opined that this proposal would "put a whole new face on the matter." Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea. Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and Cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no. Proctologists had their say in the end.
COVID-19
The United States continues to open up. Have you been out? Stage 4 guidelines allow for greater gatherings and opens more options. Dr. Box talked about taking children to parks and allowing them to play on the playgrounds on Wednesday: she recommended using hand sanitizer regularly and thoroughly washing their hands when returning home. She also commented to save snacks until you return home and have a chance to clean up properly.
People who are asymptomatic with COVID 19 are still contagious. Please wear a mask to protect those around you and socially distance from others, use hand sanitizer, wash thoroughly when you get home.
asymptomatic: not showing or having signs of an illness
International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, Zoom
Jesus is confronted by the leaders of the Jewish religion. They ask Jesus where he gets his authority.
What a timely discourse. The Jewish leader choose to say I don't know. Jesus chooses not to answer. Jesus demonstrates that sometimes there is no discussion or negotiating. Jesus decides not to waste his words.
June 16: Join us as we start Mark 12. Jesus teaches using a parable.
International Friends: Tuesdays, 10: 30-12:00, Zoom.
We continue to meet via Zoom. There are some great online camps for you children:
Varsity Tutors had week long virtual free camps throughout the summer. Have some virtual fun and learn through August.
Learn with Create & Learn with free events and online open classes. Audition some past Open Classes by watching recordings or sign up.
Somehow we always end up talking about food (maybe because we aren't eating together?). We enjoyed sharing some favorites.
Ramen Ray: very traditional Japanese ramen fix on the East side near Allisonville Road. Family developed recipes.
Yujo: former employee at Ramen Ray opened this gem and West side ramen fix (\with bubble tea).
Ocean World: is always a go-to for sushi and box lunches and dinners.
Superbowl Pho: and speaking of soups...how about Pho? Vietnamese food in Westfield.
Chao: a favorite place for Vietnamese food in Fishers. Bahn Mi and spring rolls are recommended.
Tian Fu: great Chinese food near 86th and Michigan. They have two menus, so take a friend that can read Chinese for an authentic treat.
Sichuan: great traditional Chinese food in Carmel. PreCOVID this was a great place for the lunch and weekend buffet.
Thai Sushi: Get your fix for sushi and curry all in one place in Fishers!
The Dumpling House: take a road trip to Muncie for some of the best traditional Chinese and you won't have to ask for the special menu to order (and they have a market, too!).
June 16: Drop in for some time together. What is your favorite summer reading book? What do your children like to read?
English with Children:
Fireflies are amazing insects. Did you know that each specie of firefly blinks at a different rate?
In keeping with our looking to the sky theme we had the strawberry moon with an eclipse in some parts of the world. Celebrate the strawberry season at Spencer You Pick. Go to the farm and pick your own berries! Bring your facemask and hand sanitizer, please don't sample while you pick, stay six feet apart.
COVID-19
Here is the plan for Reopening Indiana for May 22-June 13. Meanwhile, Indianapolis State Fair has been cancelled and the running of the NASCAR 400 will be run July 5 with empty stands.
Indiana is continuing testing. If you receive a call, text or post card for testing, Dr. Box asks that you get tested.
Correction link: here are the CDC's Recommendations for Back to School. And here are is the Indiana Reentry Guidance. Many universities plan to meet in person in the fall with new directives and processes. Changing from semesters to quarters or trimesters with the plan to have virtual classes during peak illness months. Smaller class size in person meetings with larger classes zooming and more are other plans. Affordable education and training in Indiana and the CARES Act help Hoosiers prepare for job changes in our new normal.
Protests, Curfews
The overnight curfews (in response to the destruction following protests) are very rare in the United States. To be clear, peaceful protests are a right of American free speech. Hurting others and destroying others' property is not. In response to police use of force concerns, Mayor Hogsett and police Chief Randall Taylor announced changes to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police policies.
The Indiana Department of Health offered free, walk up COVID testing downtown at Ohio and Capital near the Statehouse on Saturday, June 8, 10:00-5:00 to help protesters (and others) determine if they were exposed and are contagious. Other protesters throughout the state are asked to get tested at a site as it has been eight days to protect themselves, their families and the community.
Arts and Just Interesting
When working on the internet do you find yourself down a rabbit hole? Here is a great find: Albertina is a beautiful drawing by Durer.
English
Rather than translate, imagine: blue and sky
The shortfall of translating in language learning is that it limits your understanding. Words are symbols or representations that allow us to communicate. Sometimes there is no direct word to word translation. When you match an image or experience with the new words you connect with many other parts of your brain.
International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, Zoom.
We continued with Mark 11:12-25 and got to see a new (and somewhat surprising) side to Jesus. Jesus curses a fig tree for not producing fruit and then cleans out the temple. These timely stories illustrate that while God is loving, forgiving and patient. Jesus did not tolerate misuse of the temple for personal gain on any level: "Is it not written: 'my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" (Mark 11: 17). Jesus didn't harm, but he did remove the offenders. Jesus also reminds that "if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so your Father in heaven can forgive you." (Mark 11:25) Here is a suggested article comparing current events to this Bible story.
International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, Zoom.
One of the topics we hit upon was Tang. This delicious powdered drink was developed for the astronauts. You can still find it on the grocery shelves!
Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, Zoom.
We talked about the many changes we have seen in the past few days. We talked about current events beyond COVID-19, protests, riots and in our gardens. We compared shiso, basil and egoma or perilla or beefsteak plant.
English with Kids
The Strawberry Moon reminds me of the favorite bedtime story Goodnight Moon. Here it is read by an all-star cast accompanied by a soothing cello solo.
And for the rest of us... the parody: Goodnight Zoom (with some explanation).
sample: taste
curfews: a set time for people to return home
in response: an answer
use of force: excessive physical action by police where someone is injured or dies
down a rabbit hole: the time consuming following of ideas on the internet
shortfall: weakness
imagine: form a mental image or concept
curse: words to punish or to inflict harm on someone or something
timely: current or appropriate to the moment
harm: hurt another
offenders: people who have committed a crime
all-star cast: the participants in a movie, play, etc. are all famous
soothing: consoling, calming effect
solo: music performed alone
parody: a joke
Tonight is the Strawberry Moon! It is pink in color because of the positioning on the horizon. In the United States, the name is because this supermoon moon coincides with the wild strawberries.
