Friends!!
Carmel Rising Star Talent Contest: All you amazing performing artists can compete.
Carmel Christkindlmrkt is Number One in the U.S.: be sure to go and enjoy the music, food, drinks and shopping and ice skating.
January Things To Do In Indiana And enjoy the new year and all the things there are to do!
Hohoho, Friends.
I hope that you are ready for the holidays! We had a Great last week of classes.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EST (GMT-5)
We had our very own holiday program with a concert of ukelele, singing and signing Amazing Grace.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST (GMT-5)
We finished the letter to the Philippians with Philippians 3-4. We looked forward to the end of the Bible i. Revelation 22. God was, is, and will be. Jesus has come, does come, and will come. We talked of time and reincarnation. We never have a dull moment!
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We talked about cookies, no one was motivated to bake. Our conversations turned to
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
Congratulations! The most frequent 1000 words are finished! Great work. We played games with holiday sayings and American Christmas traditions and icons.
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We shared our Christmas traditions. Almost everyone has turkey for dinner for Christmas. In Japan they have chicken and there is a tradition of eating KFC. Our friends played Amazing Grace and Jingles Bells. What talented musicians we have!
icons: common cultural or religious symbols
Ho ho ho, Friends!
I am always tickled to compare notes across our meetings and classes to find out that we are all saying the same things...As the holiday parties and celebrations roll around you can join in this old saying:
Cookie Walks, Bazaars, Shows
There is more and more to do. Cookie walks are popular in the United States. A cookie walk saves you time and lets you try all the holiday homemade favorite cookies. Holiday bazaars, shows and shops are another great way to shop local and support artisans and crafters. Some of these support philanthropic causes and others support the people directly.
And speaking of another specific opportunity: Meet Gene and Carol at CLC on for Cookies, Craft and More on Saturday, December 11, 9:00-11:00.
Nativities and Pageants
Christmas pageants are icons of the season. Historically, churches, schools and communities would put on a Christmas play featuring the nativity and the story of the first Christmas. The Best Christmas Pagent Ever by Barbara Robinson is a fun little book that tells the story of all the things that can go wrong but the true spirit of Christmas shines. Charlie Brown Christmas features the pageant and all the worry that goes into a production, Linus steps forward and declares the story. If you want to have your own family pageant, this one from Guideposts has only a narrator and is pretty simple or this Script from Oriental Trading has talking animals along with more action.
A nativity are figurines that show the story of the first Christmas. Families have different traditions surrounding setting up nativities. Some people don't add the baby Jesus until Christmas Day. Other people like to set up the display. Nativities may be fancy or they may be kid friendly.
Many churches have services on Christmas Eve and Christmas day as well as in preparation all during the advent season. Go and see and enjoy.
Local Winter Fun
We are all talking about fun winter activities. Thank you Kathy for getting these together so quickly!
We live on a street. We drive on the street. But don't walk or run in the street. And we find look for places that are off the street. This
Korean Dramas We Are Watching (on Netflix):
American Sign Language: Monday, 4:30-6:30 PM EST (GMT-5)
We studied Silent Night for the vocabulary and signed along. We tried Amazing Grace from We Play Along. These songs are very common in the United States. Silent Night for Christmas caroling and Amazing Grace for many general events. And because we like to play and learn our ukuleles, here is Joy to the World in tabs along with the lyrics and here is the We Play Along Joy to the World.
There are great resources we like to use. Find them listed with their links on our page Our Meetings and Classes.
December 13: We will close out the year with songs. Auld Lang Syne is one to study for the New Year!
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST (GMT-5)
We compared Philippians 2:5-11 to John 17 and then with Paul's statements in Philippians 1:19-24. 2 Kings 17:7-22 shows what abuses that God was contending with from people. He does not tolerate this mistreatment of himself. But he does remove the people from him. Think of a parent saying, "You need to go and sit in the other room!"
December 17: Wrap up Philippians 3-4.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-11:30 AM EST (GMT-5)
Our holiday party was small but mighty. We met in person and on Zoom. We sang a few Christmas carols together in our home languages.
December 17: Cookie Day! Pick a recipe and meet me on Zoom in your (and my) kitchen.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We wrapped up the common words starting with S and T. Our sentences are becoming stories as we compile and pile words into meaningful, alliterative sentences. It is a bit of a challenge, but a very fun learning experience. Pronunciation of these words may also be challenging, especially when we have the exact word in our home language pronounced slightly different.
English is weird. It can be understood through tough thorough thought though.
December 16: Our last letters U, V, W, X, Y, Z. And our virtual Christmas Party!
Kid's Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We had a nice little visit.
December 17: Our last class of the year. Bring pictures of lights and decorations you seen.
Hello, Friends.
I hope that you are getting out and enjoying the lights. There are some spectacular displays in the neighborhoods. Some houses have signs out front where you can tune in your radio and watch a choreographed show.
More Festive and Fun in Indiana
Safety and Automated Calls
Robocalls are phone calls where you get a recorded message rather than a person. Automated calls from your doctor or pharmacy that remind you of your appointment or that your prescription is ready, from the school announcing cancellations or political or charity calls are legal. Robocalls attempt to sell you something or attempt to get your personal information and use spoofing or other phone numbers and identities are illegal in the United States.
What can you do?
Find out more: Robocalls from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EST (GMT-5)
We enjoyed some videos and holiday vocabulary. We are finding that we are signing all the time now. Learning English and ASL are a nice combination.
December 6: Come and sing carols!
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST (GMT-5)
Chapter 5 in Ephesians talks about extending our behaviors in our family groups. This chapter talks specifically to married relationships. Wives should submit to their husbands. Husbands should love their wives. Submission defined is acceptance or putting someone else first. Submitting to God is accepting His direction. Submitting to your husband means accepting his opinion and leadership. A husband who loves this wife would put her welfare above all other things. In this case, the partnership of husband and wife are strengthened as a team that works together. This Crosswalk article does a great job of further explaining cultural and societal views of confusing submission with oppression and sexist behavior as opposed to a good model for a relationship.
Chapter 6 in Ephesians talks about the extended household. Children should respect their parents. Paul refers back to the fourth commandment: Honor your father and mother that you may live well on the earth. Paul advises parents not to exasperate their children. When anyone is frustrated, aggravated, annoyed and provoked how would he or she respond? Certainly not with respect and honor. In this case, parents have a responsibility to help their children grow in love.
Ephesians closes with messages. Communication with one another
December 7: Philippians 1-2 Zoom or in person in Room 100.
December 14: Philippians 3-4 Zoom only.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We talked about meeting up next week at CLC.
Please RSVP to indyintlfriends@gmail.com YES or NO.
We had great discussions about food*. We talked about brains and how they process information and understanding how forgetting and making mistakes can be our friends when learning. Forgetting and relearning on a schedule helps us to cement information. At first you have to remind yourself (or review) in short intervals (5 minutes, 20 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, every day, twice a week, twice a month, etc.). Making mistakes also helps you to remember something because it calls attention to the information. We also talked about the strategies of adding songs and music to increase our memory as well as emotions and senses.
We compared pronunciations across our languages. "J" does not mean the same thing to everyone. Unplugging what you know from your own language and learning a new sound or sounds for the same name can be a forgetful challenge.
*Important recipes:
And Chinese Morning Glory/Ong Choy notes from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources
December 9: S and T word lists.
December 16: W, X, Y and Z word lists. Our last class. Come to the virtual party!
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST (GMT-5)
We had a music fest of Jingle Bells (here are the words)! Oh what fun! We talked about the words in the song and what they meant. We met two or our friends and asked questions from their five sentences.December 10: We will have a flute solo of Jingle Bells and see how many (English) words you could make from the words Merry Christmas!
December 17: Our last class this year! Let's have a party!
International Friends Holiday Christmas Party
Tuesday, December 7
Cornerstone Lutheran Church
4850 East Main Street, Carmel
10:30-12:00 in Room 100
Enter door 6
Bring a dish to share and a white elephant gift*
A white elephant gift is something from your home that you don't want any more and can't throw away because we all know it has value to someone!
Hello, Friends.
I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed with feasting, friends, family, fun and football.
Christmas season officially opens on Black Friday. Shop in stores for deals. Cyber Monday offers great deals on-line. Giving Tuesday is the opportunity to donate to the community.
Advent marks the Christian church season leading up to Christmas. Special musical programs to celebrate and prepare for the birth of Jesus, Son of God and Savior of Mankind. Churches are decorated with Christmas trees and special community programs reach out to the community to give gifts, meals, and holiday bazaars and cookie walks for finding one of gifts or treasures. Items are donated and these holiday shopping events help to fund outreach activities in the church.
Advent doesn't just reflect a religious holiday. Advent calendars count down the days: some have pictures, some have small toys, some have bottles of wine. Everyone loves counting down to this holiday!
ALL MEETINGS AND CLASSES RESUME
NOVEMBER 29. SEE YOU ZOOM!
Check our webpages for homework.
More Festive Fun
Fishers has a lot going on for the holidays for everyone! Read about the free, fun and festivities in Fishers Announces Holiday Events from the Current. Fishers Story Walk in Fishers parks
This edition of the Hamilton County Reporter has the lowdown on Christmas Season Celebrations.
Hello, Friends.
Winter in Indiana and the United States is wonderful for meeting friends and family for feasting and fun. To get set for the feasting, find the new tabs at the top of our webpage: our classic and updated International Friends Recipes. And, November 26 is Black Friday. Get out in the crowds and get some Christmas shopping done.
There is no excuse not to make a traditional or not so traditional turkey this year. Turkey roasting tips:
Remember, no meetings or classes November 22-26.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Local Winter Fun
COVID 19 Update
It has been a while since we had new COVID news. All around Indiana we are beginning to see relaxing of mandates. Many schools are relaxing the mask mandates beginning after the new year. Look for announcements for your particular district and school.
If you are fully vaccinated, you can return to your normal activities without wearing a mask, except where required by rule or law. If you are not fully vaccinated, wear a face mask properly, maintain social distancing, get a flu shot, wash your hands frequently, clean and disinfect surfaces; in communities you may visit restaurants and public places and enjoy outdoor activities safely where COVID-19 is not spreading.--Mayo Clinic
The COVID boosters have been opened to everyone (although they were readily available in Indiana) in the U. S. To be eligible for a booster, you need to have been vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna at least six months or Johnson and Johnson at least two months. You can mix and match boosters. Find out more with this WebMD article.
Indiana Considers Lifting COVID Public Health Emergency
Governor Holcomb announced what he needs to end the public health emergency after a month by month extension of the emergency. The governor's statement"
When extending the last state public health emergency for another 30 days, I asked my team to bring me a plan that would allow us to wind it down responsibly. The plan identifies three key items that must be preserved if I am to responsibly allow the state pubic health emergency to expire. To carry this out, I am working with Senator Bray and Speaker Huston to consider passing three statutory changes to continue protecting Hoosiers by allowing continuation of enhanced federal matching funds for Medicaid expenditures, the continuation of the enhanced benefit for those receiving federal food assistance and extend the ability to efficiently vaccinate our 5-to 11-year-olds.
A statement from House Speaker Todd Huston regarding the request:
I think that we feel like we're reaching that point where we've had vaccinations available, we now have boosters available. We've got, thank goodness, much better therapies available. At some point, we move from a government response to an individual responsibility.
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
After free conversation, we worked on numbers and time, extended family and reviewed holiday words. We covered non-manual signs (or signs that are driven by expressions and physical action almost as a short cut).
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST (GMT-5), Hybrid
We read Ephesians 4 where Paul writes that he is a prisoner for Jesus Christ meaning that now as Jesus prisoner he is possessed or in control by Jesus to act accordingly (previously he says a prisoner of meaning that he is possessed or in Jesus' control). Paul further explains that human changing direction and instruction can follow the whims of fashion, politics, society or you name it based in "the cunning craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming." Paul writes to be humble, gentle, patient, and bearing each others burdens in love as having been taught by Jesus. Because of the firm and decisive leadership that comes from the authority of God, people do not need to be lost in confusion of the bad leadership of people who put self first and wish to harm others for self gain.
Part two gives great advice for living with others. "Do not let the sun go down on your anger," is advice we could all benefit. And the last verse are excellent words to live by: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as in Christ God forgave you."
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Hybrid
Four of us gathered to feast. Our menu included: Roast turkey (prepared the previous week during class), cornbread dressing, pan drippings gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, garlic know rolls, sweet potato and fig salad, Japanese style rolls, pumpkin pie and Tarta de Santiago (Spanish Almond Cake). It was nice to get together and spend time talking face to face and pick up our traditions.
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
No takers this week. No one wanted to hear about my trip to the dentist, I guess. That's ok, though. I will tell you all about it! I drove up to Gas City to see my dentist because a chunk of a tooth fell out (while I was eating fried chicken, no less!). He was able to keep the tooth since the damage did not extend into the dentin and the nerve was well preserved. I think the tooth must have been giving me some trouble for a while, because my jaw is much more relaxed than before.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
We covered our M, N and O frequently used words and talked about what can be troublesome verbs for native English speakers. For our next meeting we prepare P, Q and R.
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
We had a full house on Friday! It was fabulous to meet new Friends and see old Friends (and guests). People shared food they cooked or food they created artistically. Thanks for Zooming guests and pets. It is fun to share our lives!
Musicians, prepare to play Jingle Bells. Everyone can sing along!
Hello, Friends.
In Indiana, the leaves are falling fast. The best way to take care of them is to mow them into your grass. It is also the easiest way to take care of them! Another great use is to pile them into your flower beds. They protect your plants during cold weather and act as compost.
We had snow and wintery mix over the weekend. Get out your mittens and hats!
International Friends Feast and Fun
You are invited to join us in person (with a Zoom back up) for an International Thanksgiving Celebration.
Bring a dish to share. You do not have to be currently registered to come. Just show up!
November 16, 10:30-12:00, Room 100 (enter Door 6)
Cornerstone Lutheran Church, 4850 East Main Street, Carmel
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
We chatted about the week. We also reviewed the names of family members: mother, father, children, son, daughter, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, in-laws, spouse. The holidays mean family gatherings and this year we all are looking forward to seeing family again!
November 15: We are dragging out our holiday sign vocabulary. We haven't used some of these words since last year! How many do you think we will remember? I am going to guess that like the holidays these words are pretty memorable!
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST (GMT-5), Hybrid
This week we read and discussed Ephesians 3 where Paul begins by saying that he is a prisoner of Christ. What does that mean? When Paul was writing this letter, he was a Roman prisoner, yet his heart and mind free in Jesus Christ. How can someone be the prisoner of someone who has set him free? The message of this chapter is that Gentiles (non-Jews) with the Jewish believers are heirs and members of the body of Christ. Revelation 7 (John's vision of the end times) provides an amazing word picture of all the saints. Sainthood belongs to all who are in the family!
November 16: We will discuss Ephesians 4 both at church and on Zoom. Join us in Room 100 or online.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Hybrid.
We planned for our Feast on Tuesday.
November 16: Have you heard we are feasting???? Join us in person (or on Zoom!)
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
I had a dental emergency. My apologies for having to cancel our class.
November 17: Let's catch up. I can tell you all about my wonderful tooth!
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM EST (GMT-5), Zoom
Sentence sharing for JKL was job that kept us learning. Conjugation can be a conundrum that can be overcome. Check additional links on Our Meetings and Classes for American Accent textbook links and the free Mastering the American Accent App for iPhones and iPads or for your Google or other devices.
November 18: Review M and NO. Sentences, please.
Kids' Conversation and More: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST (GMT-5) Zoom
We expanded our world to Japan this week. It is nice to have Friends around the globe and in different time zones. It is funny to think that we are tired or hungry but at different times of the day!
We talked about Queen's Gambit on Netflix. The Queen's Gambit is a chess move to learn!
November 19:
Prepare to tell us "All About Me" in five sentences.
Cook a feasting dish and either bring it to Zoom or snap a shot and share. Tell us how you made it.
Have fun coloring and write about what you are thankful for:
Learn a little about the history of Thanksgiving.
Hello, Friends.
It is time to set you clocks back one hour to standard time. The best ways are to set your clocks back before you go to bed or to rely on your computer and/or cell phone to set your time for you. Don't forget to set the time in your car! I always panic when I hop in my car to go somewhere and suddenly I am too early or too late!
If you are reading this Sunday. Go catch an hour nap to catch up with the rest of us!
What Are We Reading?
Our Kids' Conversation Meeting has a great reading list (all of which have movies and series to watch on PBS, YouTube, and other video sources):
Yankee Doodle
We talked about The song Yankee Doodle. Have you learned this song? Are your kids singing this song in school? This nursery rhyme song has roots in the American Revolutionary War. Read The Story Behind the Song from the Kennedy Center to learn the history and crafting of this classic American song.
And since we all know the tune, why not sharpen our English language skills?
The Preposition Song (Sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle)
Verse 1:
Aboard, about, above, acrossAgainst, along, aroundAmid, among, after, atExcept, for, during, downChorus:
Under, underneath, since, upLike, near, past, throughout, throughWith, within, without, insteadToward, inside, into, toVerse 2:
Behind, below, beneath, besideBetween, before, beyondBy, in, from, off, on, over, ofUntil, unto, upon
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30, Zoom
Sentence writing is our jam! This year all of our classes are building our skills with sentence writing. You may wonder why this works when learning a new language (more than just word flash cards). For adults, this a great way to memorize. Adults are extremely efficient learners! We learn best in context and when we use information or skills. What better way to learn than by creating sentences?
November 8: Join the conversation and add to your vocabulary.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30, Zoom
This week we read and talked about Ephesians 2. This wonderful chapter Paul writes:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So, as you plan your week, you can be sure that your plans are good.
November 8: We are talking about Ephesians 3.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00, Zoom.
We planned for our cooking and talked about how we liked to cook our turkeys. In Turkey, turkeys are stuffed with rice and cranberries for Christmas. This may be the perfect dish for Thanksgiving here in the U.S.! We could start a new tradition this year.
November 8: Zoom over to learn how Carolyn prepares a turkey and we talk about preparing the classic dishes.
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00, Zoom.
November 9: Shhhh. Private lessons!
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30-12:00, Zoom.
November 10: Prepare your sentences using J, K, L words.
Kid's Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00, Zoom.
November 11: Bring your five sentence stories or five sentences about yourself.
Hello Friends,
We are leaving October behind. November comes with some spectacular American-style of celebrating. We will gain some time when we "fall back" and we will celebrate the harvest with Thanksgiving. As we get ready for sweater weather (and they say we might have some wintery mix on Tuesday), we are thankful that the weather did not get colder faster. While we are tired of hunkering down as Hoosiers, having the excuse to stay home and enjoy a warm home and our Friends is a nice option. Are you ready for a driveway movie? Let's plan one or two!
Let's Get Together
We are easing getting back together in person and as a hybrid. For those of you that are not close enough to come to class, still log on to Zoom. We are working out the kinks to get close to wifi! Cornerstone Lutheran Church offers the space and ventilation to safely meet in person. Are you ready?
We are watching
El Secreto de Feriha on YouTube
COVID 19
Cases of COVID 19 are dwindling in Indiana. Overall, the CDC advises that if you are fully vaccinated you can return to your normal life.
Allergic Reactions to the Vaccination: The CDC recommendations for COVID vaccinations updated as of October 7. The CDC recommends you do not get another vaccination or booster if you have had a severe reaction.
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM, Zoom
We learned to sign time and we learned spooky Halloween signs. There are costumes and treats to sign about, too. We learned that actual "words" become actions when telling stories or carrying on conversations.
November 1: There is so much to talk about...talk with us and compare this new language.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM, hybrid
Paul speaks the Gospel of Jesus in this first chapter of Ephesians. He sheds light on God's gifts of wisdom understanding. Through his enlightenment: we receive wisdom and light. It is God's pleasure and will to Paul writes that we are all part of God's plan and that he predestined us to know his love. Paul uses the word "lavish" to explain how richly God shows us his love and care. 1 John 4: 7-19 teaches, "We love because he first loved us." Read these together as companions go get a full picture of God's great love and freedom.
November 2: Join us to talk about Ephesians 2 on Zoom only.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00 PM, Zoom
We met in the parking lot at CLC to have a minitailgate and to carve Jack-o-Lanterns. A picture is worth 1000 words!
We have decided to continue to meet in person on occasion as weather and COVID permits.
November 2: Zoom. Let's plan the next weeks...Do you want to get together in person? Where should we meet? And what is your prep shopping list for a traditional Indiana Thanksgiving?
November 9: Zoom Demonstration of traditional American dishes. We will talk mashed potatoes, casseroles, cranberries, and turkey.
November 16: Feast at CLC bring a dish to share. Come and devour some traditional American Thanksgiving dishes along with your favorites.
November 23: No Class Thanksgiving Break
November 30: Getting ready for December holidays. What is ahead? How do we celebrate in Indiana.
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM, Zoom
We met to chat. How do we best listen to each other and practice anything we want to talk about and get correction? Join Afternoon Conversation. This is a very, very small Zoom gathering (yes, it is tutoring).
November 3: Zoom over to practice English, free flowing conversation.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30-12:00, Zoom
We met as a large group to review our "F" and "G" 1000 Common Words. We practiced critical listening to each other and corrected our pronunciation. We also talked about the cadence or the music of the American English. Keep your mouth closed and "talk" in your home language. How does it sound? You can tell a language by it's cadence or the musical intonations without hearing the words. This is one reason that Nursery Rhymes are so important for very small children learning language. The silly rhymes teach the song of the language they are learning. What are your home language nursery rhymes? Mother Goose is given author credit, and in America this is a collection coming from Boston! The Poetry Foundation provides lists of common Nursery Rhyme poems to sharpen your pronunciation and cadence.
We added the YouTube links from our American Accent Training book to Our Meetings and Classes page. Learn more about how to pronounce American English Sounds.
November 4: Bring sentences using "H" and "I" Common Words. Combine as many words as possible in one sentence to spark learning, application and memory. Be ready to read a few Nursery Rhymes!
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00, Zoom
Wow, wow, wow! We had a great international concert from two of our Friends! Amazing to know that they played ukulele and cajon and sang internationally! We got to know each other, again because we are adding new Friends and practicing our English conversation. Listening first and then trying will get you there!
November 5: Work on writing five sentences that tell about you. Be ready to share them with the group. We have told about ourselves, now let's share it in writing. Also, we will talk about Nursery Rhymes. Do you remember any from when you were little?
working out the kinks: solving procedural problems
Boo, Friends!
Halloween is coming!
Halloween is a fabulous community party. Rain, wind, snow, pleasant weather...Any of these could be on tap for Sunday.
Trunk or Treat: go to a parking lot to "trick or treat". This is a new tradition and a great way for a community to get together and to have fun: wear costumes, decorate their cars, hand out candy.
Cornerstone Lutheran Church (our sponsor) has Trunk or Treat events Friday and Saturday at the different locations in Carmel, Fishers and Indianapolis for children through 4th grade. If you live in an apartment and want to host a trunk, you and join in the fun (Trunk or Treat at CLC). If you have children to Trunk or Treat, please join!
Trick or Treat: Sunday is Halloween.
Kids dress up in beautiful, fun and scary costumes and go door to door. They ring your doorbell or knock on the door and say, "Trick or Treat." Hand each child a piece of candy or drop it in their bag or basket (many kids use pillowcases for this). The kids say, "Thank you."
Turn your porch lights on and decorate if you want to host Trick or Treaters.
Turn your porch lights off if you don't want to host or when you run out of candy (And yes, sometimes we have over 100 kids trick or treat in our neighborhood.)
Kids through high school trick or treat. Older kids come out later. Younger kids make the rounds earlier.
No candy is better than any other...Some kids like chocolate, others like Nerds, others like gum. Just make sure it is wrapped. Check through your kids' candy and throw away unwrapped pieces. If you are concerned you can take your candy to the local fire station or police station and they will look through it for you.
Be safe! If you are driving, watch for children running across the street. It is a very exciting time and people forget to look both ways.
Be safe! Stay together with your friends. Stay with your parents. Stay with your kids.
Parents: some neighbors have adult treats (Because what dad doesn't need a can of beer when he is taking his children through the neighborhood?). Some neighbors have hot dogs or other treats.
Enjoy this fun holiday, rain or shine!
Your community sets official times. Please honor them. Here are the official times in the greater Indianapolis area
Each community hosts different events: parades, picnics, and so much more. Check out other fun events in your city and in the surrounding area: Central Indiana Halloween 2021 Events
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30, Zoom
We met and practiced our conversation. We discovered that there are four different uses of the word "use" in English!
This great CNN article talks about Hawaiian Sign Language or HSL and the woman that is teaching and keeping this language alive. Be sure to watch the video at the end about the Demigod Maui and the story of the creation of the Hawaiian islands.
October 25: Continue to learn continue conversation.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30, Zoom
We wrapped up Galatians. In this final book, Paul tells the Christians of Galatia the true "mark" of is to be kind and loving, not a physical "look".
We talked about sacraments or physical acts that are sacred. Theopia has a nice discussion about how Christians in different denominations view sacraments.
October 26: Join us in person at CLC or on Zoom. We begin the letter to the Ephesians.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30AM-12:00 PM, in person and on Zoom
We made pumpkin pie. This was a great recipe! It was simple and you don’t need more than a bowl to mix in a pie pan to bake it in!*
Tailgate at Cornerstone Lutheran In Carmel
4850 East Main Street
or join on Zoom
10:30-12:00
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM, Zoom
It was nice to meet on Zoom this week. We talked about this exciting time of the year. One holiday rolls into the next:
We talked about how in the United States we have many cultures and customs that meld together. While we all may have different celebrations, our Friends have observed that in the United States we all come together as a community.
October 27: Meet and practice your conversational English. Bring your questions about English or life in the U.S.
*notice this sentence ends with a preposition. Some people say a sentence should never end in a preposition, but the sentence and instructions would be too convoluted in a different order.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM, Zoom
We stayed together and shared our D and E sentences as well as practiced saying each of the words. We also talked about those illusive prepositions "in, on, at".
October 28: Review letters F and G and combine as many of these words as you can in sensible or nonsensical sentences. USE YOUR WORDS!
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:30 PM, Zoom
We all got acquainted with each other. Friends that have not had the chance to meet each other before met.
We discovered musical talents of two of our friends: Ukulele and cajon. They will play a piece for us next week! We are excited for the concert.
October 29:
be on tap: options, possibilities, choice
convoluted: twisted and confusing
denominations: a group or branch within a religion
honor: follow, pay attention to
meld: blend, combine
nonsensical: silly, not making sense but funny
piece: a song or piece of music
Hello Friends
I hope you had a productive break now let’s get back to work! Check out our last Update on line to refresh yourself for where we left off.
The Headless Horseman
The scary story behind this icon of the season is the story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. This story is written in English that challenge you, but overall the language has not changed that much. Enjoy The Legend of Sleepy Hollow movie from the 1980s starring Jeff Goldblum.
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EST, Zoom
We practiced conversation. We observed that in American English we use the word "find" in a variety of ways that are translated into three distinct signs:
October 18: Join us as we continue our conversation!
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST, Zoom
Galatians 5 is another great chapter. In this chapter, Paul discusses freedom in Christ: He came to set all people free. Paul warns people to follow the teaching of the Holy Spirit and the outward expressions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness (v 22) .
October 19: Galatians 6 is the last chapter. How will Paul end his letter?
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00 PM EST, Zoom
Apple Day! Prepandemic we would meet at an apple farm. The next week would be wonderful cooking and crafts with apples, apples, apples. Not to wax nostalgic, but these are some of the nicest days! We Zoomed Apple Day and made baked apples, apple fritters (or apple rings) and apple shrunken heads. Wow and whew! That's a lot!
Our baked apples can be doctored up to taste. Core an apple (or slice it in half and scoop out the "star" or core. Fill the center with a mixture of spices (ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg), a sweet (brown sugar, honey, chopped dates), a smidge of fat (butter or coconut oil), chopped nuts, oats. Bake your filled apples at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your apples (and whether they are sliced in half or whole). Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. If you want a formal recipe, try this one for Stuffed Apple Crisp.
Our fritters or apple rings are super simple. Slice apples thinly. Cut out the seeds as necessary. Dip in a light batter (I like to use thinned pancake batter). Deep fry or fry on a griddle (or try out your air fryer and let us know how it works).
Carving an apple into a shrunken head is a great Halloween craft. Try it!
Lagniappe: More Fall Sweet and Savory Apple Recipes from Food and Wine
October 19: Let's bake a pumpkin pie. Betty Crocker recipes are always reliable Let’s try this one has a crust and filling from scratch
October 29: Let's Tailgate! Meet in the parking lot at CLC or zoom over. Get a pumpkin and bring a sharp knife and we will carve pumpkins.
Open Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM, Zoom
This room opens at 4:30 and will close at 5:00 if no one appears. Please e-mail me if you will not be able to attend until later and we will adjust the time.
doctored up: add extra
icon: a cultural representation, emblem, symbol
lagniappe: a little something extra
left off: where we ended
refresh: rest and renew
super simple: really, really easy
smidge: a little bit
to taste: how you like it
wax nostalgic: reminisce longingly
Hello, Friends.
October is underway. It is nice to hear about your "field trips" and explorations around Indiana. If you don't live in the Heartland, you can learn more about American life and celebrations. Many schools are taking their fall breaks. Carmel Clay Schools is breaking this coming week. We continue to follow the local school calendar, so we will not hold classes on Thursday or Friday.
Get Out and About
Amber Alert and Silver Alert and Blue Alert
National and local alert system operated by the State Police for raising public awareness and soliciting public help in finding someone or if there is a threat to the community:
You can learn more:
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM, Zoom
We cranked on our conversational language skills. As we build our vocabulary, we are becoming more and more efficient. We challenged our skills by sharing our mutual interest in cultural
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM, Zoom
Galatians 4 is a wonderful chapter. Paul tells the people of Galatia (and us) that we are Children of God! Heritage does not matter. Galatians were being told they had to act and follow particular practices, but Paul points out that they know and understand the Gospel. Paul uses the story in Genesis 21:1-21 as the example to explain how all children receive an inheritance from the father: through God's promise both Isaac and Ishmael became the founders of nations. God sent his Son to live under the authority law to set us free from the authority of the law (verses 5 and 6).
October 12: Galatians 5 talks about freedom and faith as well as the balance that comes through and from the Holy Spirit.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00 AM, Zoom
We didn't meet this week. That doesn't mean I didn't miss you and our conversations.
October 12: Fall kitchen craft time! Let's bake stuffed apples and carve an apple to make a fun and scary Halloween decoration. You need apples, a knife, brown sugar, oatmeal, nuts, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, etc. and butter.
Open Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 PM, Zoom
We had no takers for this class this week. For future reference, the room will remain open for a half an hour. If no Friends join the Zoom, the room will be closed.
October 13: Join us for a free flowing conversation group with feedback to improve your pronunciation, grammar, etc. on the fly.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM, Zoom
We are continuing to study the most common 1000 English words. This week we reviewed words with the letter C. Students shared sentences created from the words. We were curious: could our complicated and convoluted constructions contain cohesive concepts.
Prepositions of time always give people trouble. This chart from All Things Grammar shows you how to use them. Notice that in the U.S. we say "on the weekend" not "at the weekend" if you were in London.
October 14: No Class. Fall Break
October 21: Study the "D" and "E" lists. You have free rein. Sentences can combine "D" and "E" or they can keep them separate. Try for six sentences, though.
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM, Zoom
It was so fun to see the animal creations! They were amazing an so creative. It was fun to meet two new friends! Here is our plan for the rest of October.
October 15: No Class. Fall Break.
October 22: Write a story about yourself. You have to include at least five sentences. Email me the story.
October 29: Decorate a cookie for Halloween.
on: moved forward working hard
free from: released
free rein: you decide and act
no takers: no participants
on the fly: while in progress; while moving
raising awareness: a processes or informing or
soliciting: asking for something specific
under: be subject to
underway: moving forward
Hello, Friends.
What's all the fuss about pumpkin spice? People are obsessed! There are pumpkin spice lattes, frappuccinos, shakes, breads, muffins, candles, air fresheners and the list goes on... This flavor and scent goes with fall like sweater weather! While there is no pumpkin in pumpkin spice, it reminds people of the smell and flavors of pumpkin pie. The ingredients are cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice. You can buy pumpkin spice premixed or in individual ingredients. Carmel apple is another popular fall scent and taste....
Football Favorites
Fall fun means football. We are talking about the American game that is played with a ball that looks like this: 🏈.
Monday Night Football has had its ups and downs in ratings. Former Indiana Colts quarterback Payton Manning and his brother Eli are hosting the game on ESPN2. It is a Zoom-style show and you feel like your sitting around with Friends watching the game. Different guests appear and watch the game and comment. Here is a You Tube of the "best of". Don't worry if you can't follow all of the vocabulary...It's football vocabulary. Really, no one understands all these words! It is still fun.
Favorite Hamilton County Eats and Drinks
Amazing Mazes
You can laugh along as you find your way through a maize maze! Corn mazes are a Midwest thing. They are fun for the whole family and you can enjoy them at any age. Some mazes transition from fall fun to haunted fun as October wears on.
Virtual Indiana
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 AM EST, Zoom
We studied and talked Galatians 3. Paul dives into the weighty questions surrounding law, customs and behavior. We see people obsessed with following the word of law in a social sense and attaching attributes of good or bad to people based on how they adhere to the law according to how they judge people should act and behave. Ridged application of customs and even edicts are not
October 5: Join us as we discuss Galatians 4 where Paul addresses specific issues facing the church in Galatia. Do we have similar issues in our culture today?
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM EST, Zoom
Our conversations this week covered corn mazes, pumpkin spice and other fall fun in Indiana and the Midwest.
October 5: No class or meeting.
Casual Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30 PM-6:00 PM EST, Zoom.
We talked about different strategies for learning English as well as had great conversations about pizzas and working in Indiana and in Mexico. We talked about our accents and how to be better understood by the people listening to us. And then there is Halloween. Here is a recipe for Banbanji for dinner.
October 6: Join the free flowing conversations.
English Classes: Thursday, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM EST, Zoom.
Our meetings are always interesting. We drilled on listening and adjusting our pronunciation. Critical listening to each other and to ourselves is not always easy. Everyone was able to apply their new pronunciation to the rest of our conversation.
We also debated the pronunciation of the word "often". This led to the discovery that you may or may not pronounce the "t". You may hear "off-in" of "awff-in" or "off-ten" of "off-den". Any one of these is fine.
October 7: We will go over the "C" vocabulary list. Make sentences using as many of the "C" words as you can. Notice the different pronunciations of "C" and C blends. Most of you commented that C sounds are influenced by the vowel following: cu, ca, ce, ci, cu, co. Phonetically, the "C" sounds are taught in schools as s stand alone. Don't worry about this!
Kids' Conversation: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM EST, Zoom
Wow! I can't tell you how much our kids are growing in their English listening and speaking. I am really impressed! We met new Friends Zooming in from Brazil. We also met Mrs. Willard's newest "pet". We haven't decided on a name for him, yet. But tonight he is sitting in his water dish! I never knew a rat that loved to soak in a bathtub before!
We talked about the tooth fairy. We found out that the customs of tooth fairies are similar in Brazil and in the U.S. Cool Tooth Fairy Facts explains a lot more about tooth fairy around the world and here in the U.S.
We also found out that in the U.S., kids take tae kwon do, and that in Brazil they take muay thai. Both are marshal arts.
October 8: Draw an animal that includes parts from at least three different animals...Be ready to tell us all about your mythical creature.
adhere: follow strictly
customs: habits or behaviors
drilled: practice over and over
edict: declaration by person in power or ruling
free flowing:
goes with: happens at the same time
mythical: not real
notice: pay attention
obsessed: (slang) happy to see, smell, do, participate in something, having that at the top of your priorities (a little the original meaning of obsessed)
scent: aroma
sweater weather: cooler temperatures that make us happy to snuggle into sweaters
take: attend classes
ups and downs:
what's all the fuss: an exclamation that asks why are people so excited
