BOOOOOOOO!

Happy Halloween, Friends!

Halloween is an important American holiday. Kids dress up in costumes and go door to door saying, "Trick or treat!" People give the children one piece of candy or some small gift. Communities post Trick or Treat times in advance, and you can find that information via local news. Central Indiana Trick or Treat times. Some neighborhoods have parties and bar b cues in lieu of door to door begging. Trunk or Treat parties are hosted by churches and communities where people sponsor a spot in a parking lot and decorate their car for Trick or Treaters.

Be safe! If you are driving, take extra care since children may not be watching as closely as they should. Look over the loot in your kids' bags to make sure all the candies and treats are age appropriate, wrapped, and safe to eat. Local 

American Politics

We are on the final countdown for the elections. Campaigns and ads swamp the airwaves. Pundits and polls predict outcomes. There is more to these elections than the president (although that is a headliner!). Learn more in this .gov Overview of the Presidential Election Process. Wikipedia offers a broader perspective of U.S. elections in a nutshell. 

There are many places to preview ballots to see candidates and issues. Ballotpedia is a great source for ballots and issues. States have their own informational .gov sites. Here is the one for Indiana. Be an informed voter by doing your homework. If you can't vote, be an informed community member and do your homework to understand the local and national issues and the players and their positions and the party platforms beyond their personality.

Meetings and Classes

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International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom

Our study group was small, but "where ever two or more are gathered..." We decided to limit our discussion until the others could join us because insight from each other is valuable. Of course we couldn't resist talking about Genesis 25: 1-11 and then 12-18. These lineages and storylines tell more about Abraham and while his "character" was not monogamistic. He was generous in his giving to all his sons while he was living and then after he died, Isaac was his heir.  He sent the sons of the concubines away from Isaac which ensured that they would not be jealous of him or fall under his rule. Verses 12-18 follow the line of Ishmael. These people ended up being hostile with all the tribes related to them (18). Thinking about "Where are you from?"

Psalm 100 is a short song and tells the goodness of God. The final verse (5) is famous for showing God's love that spills over from generation to generation. This was an apt reading as we wrap up the story of Abraham. God was with Abraham and Abraham loved his time with God. 

In the church short hymns of praise are called doxologies. 

• Here is a modern take on Psalm 100 by Crist Tomlin.
• The Celtic Worship has a more traditional feel of "The Old 100".

American English and Culture: Thursday, 9-11:00 AM, Zoom

We had a lively discussion about being bored and being boring. I hope you are rarely bored in our meetings, but you can be sure you are never boring! Notes and Handouts has some additional worksheets to help you with polishing -ed verses -ing endings.

October 31: Bring your pumpkins to carve into Jack-O-Lanterns and a snack to share and let's tailgate in the Cornerstone Lutheran Church parking lot.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:00 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 102

We had a great discussion about traffic jams and then wrote a "round robin" story. Traffic jams have a lot of very interesting words and phrases to describe the situation. I hope your roads are clear and you have smooth sailing! Check Notes and Handouts to see our boards. Be working on telling where you are from stories.

October 31: No Meeting! Happy Halloween

Words and Phrases

airways: a designated frequency for radio communications

do your homework: be informed

final countdown: counting the days to a specific event

headliner: the principal performer in a show

in a nutshell: a brief statement

smooth sailing: an easy and clear way

spills over: grow in size and scope

swamp: inundate, overload

October Surprises

Hello, Friends

You never know what is going to happen. Even the best laid plans can become derailed. Some people see this as drama. Others see it as opportunity. What about you?

October 31 Scheduling for International Friends

Halloween is in two weeks. Get out and see the decorations. October 31 American English and Culture will meet in the parking lot at CLC for a tailgate and pumpkin carving 9:00-11:00. Bring a nice big pumpkin to carve to welcome Trick or Treaters!

We are not meeting in the evening. It is prime time to spend with family and friends celebrating the holiday and handing out candy.

American English

People newer to American English tend to have trouble using the -ing ending. Here is part of Espresso English summary of -ing

Use the -ING form of verbs in continuous tenses

Present continuous:

• I’m studying English.
• She’s watching TV.
• We’re having lunch at the moment.

Present perfect continuous:

• I’ve been thinking a lot about this decision.
• He’s been working here since 1995.
• They’ve been waiting for you for an hour.

Past continuous:

• When I came home last night, you were already sleeping.
• I found $10 on the street while I was jogging in the park.

Future continuous:

• Sorry, I can’t meet with you tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be taking my friend to the airport.

Use the -ING form after prepositions

• I improved my English by practicing every day.
• We left the party after saying goodbye to everyone.
• They’ve made a lot of money since launching their new product.
• I want to talk to you about investing in the stock market.

Exception: Never use the -ING form after “to”:

• I need to practice my English more.
• My mother told me to study for the test.
• We’d like to invest in this technology.
• The girl didn’t want to leave the party.

Use the -ING form after these verbs in English

• admit: The politician admitted stealing millions of dollars.
• avoid: You should avoid eating after 10 PM.
• consider: Have you considered buying a laptop computer?
• enjoy: I enjoy surfing and playing tennis.
• finish: I finally finished cleaning the house at midnight.
• can’t stand: I can’t stand going to parties where I don’t know anyone.
• don’t mind: I don’t mind working overtime.
• look forward to: I look forward to seeing you next week.
• keep (continue): My ex-boyfriend keeps calling me even though I’ve told him I don’t want to talk to him!
• practice: I need to practice writing in English.
• spend (time): My roommate spends hours watching TV.
• stop: He stopped smoking ten years ago.
• suggest/ recommend: I suggest taking some time off.
• The doctor recommended getting more rest.

Start, like, and love can be used with the infinitive or -ing. Both are correct!

• The baby started to cry. = The baby started crying.
• I like to run. = I like running.
• We love reading. = We love to read.

American Culture

What happens when you are suddenly sick and can't get in to see your regular doctor? You can visit an Urgent Care and have assessments done as well get prescriptions to take care of the problem. Ear infections, fevers, flu and cold symptoms, strep throat, urinary tract infections, minor wounds, etc. 

When the problem is more serious, or it is late at night and nothing else is open, go to the Emergency Room at the hospital. The Emergency Room is for heart attacks, broken bones (after regular hours), strokes, car accidents, etc.

Get Out There! What are you finding?

Christmas in October?! Not yet, but they are setting up Christkindlmarkt on Carter Green (and you can find decorations and supplies at Hobby Lobby, too).

International Friends Meeting Notes

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International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom

Psalm 2 is a song reminding us that God is in control and any people with authority (world or otherwise) who conspire (or some versions say rage) against God and people or nations that follow God's lead. Verse four tells us that God laughs at the plotting of people against him and leaders/nations that follow his lead. When the world seems to be chaotic and in turmoil  

Genesis 22-24 This week's readings were comforting and beautiful examples of relationships. Abraham and his son Isaac are the main characters.  

October 21: Psalm 100 and Genesis 25-27

American English and Culture: Thursday, 9-11:00 AM, Zoom

We had great discussions about living in the United States and how professional benchmarks and requirements are different than our home countries. For those who have navigated finding jobs on temporary visas, the differences reflect the American law and customs. These may be curious, but the culture and the local systems as well as national benchmarks are important to understand and follow.

October 24: Bring word pages and "where are you from stories" about your career or job growth. Telling and talking about your experience (or the experience of someone close to you) is important in communicating in American English. Remember, more is better.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:00 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 102

It was so nice to get together in person! Here are our board notes. Can you tell what we were focussing on?

October 24: Bring your "home" word lists. It doesn't matter what language they are in. We will compare them! We will continue the "where are you from" discussion.

Seeing is Believing?

Hello Friends,

We had an exciting week at International Friends and at the Best Practices in the Heartland Conference. We learned about how to use AI and that it isn't perfect: so, look out! I see some AI work in our future. We networked and found new niches to serve. 

Thank you to everyone for reaching out to the Midwest church community with what we do so we can help other people. Thank you for manning our table and chatting with guests. Thank you for Zooming along so that others could see how we go about our lessons.

American Culture

Hunting and fishing are popular sports in the United States. We have laws as well as cultural practices for hunting and catching “wild” animals, birds, and fish that depend on time of year and place. Domestic animals are off the table.

We have hunting and fishing seasons and people need to hold licenses and purchase tags in order to participate in these sports. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources or DNR is the place to go see what animals are in season as well as regulations. Violations include fishing or hunting without a license, bag limits, etc. There are animals that are non-game, meaning they cannot be hunted or bagged. Hunting and killing "game" that is not legal or does not belong to you is poaching.

The Aurora Borealis

We had a spectacular light show from the Aurora Borealis Thursday night. While the Northern Lights were vague to the naked eye. The filters on cell phone cameras were able to offer a great view to share stunning shots. 

   

Classes and Meetings

Our classes are open: click to register!

Meetings are U.S. Eastern time.

International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom.

We started with Psalm 121 (finally, because we have been carrying this one over for a while!). It is the Song of Ascents. A good way to start and end a day of challenges and set your sights in the right direction.

Genesis 20-21 continued to throw us a curve ball. We hope to see Abraham and his family progress and change, but they remain the same. We continued to do the same: we weigh our years of life and experiences against his over 100 years on earth walking with God as his best friend and guide. We are disappointed in him...this time we heard more of his story and his explanations. Can that change our perspective? Genesis 21 tells of the negotiations between Abraham and Abimelek. God intervenes to make the imperfect work for both sides. There are good lessons here.

October 14: We are setting our sights on reading and talking about Genesis 22-24 and Psalm 2 (a good one to get perspective during political seasons).

American English and Culture: Thursday, 9-11:00 AM, Zoom

Thank you for Zooming for the conference on Thursday. While it was not always optimal, we were able to hear each other well and still have a good meeting. Critical listening continues to be a skill to develop. Interestingly enough, many times listening means inferring and not actually hearing. Context helps so much as does reading. Technically, these silent sounds are called reductions, but we can call them confusing at times.

October 17: Continue to create (and share) word pages. Pick a word or phrase from this Update and make a word page. I am still looking for stories that tell "where you are from". Pick a tradition that you love or that makes your celebration complete. Watch this video from the Productivity Guy

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:00 PM, Cornerstone Lutheran Church, Room 102

October 17: We are meeting in person! Join us. The doors are open and get ready for some three-dimensional learning.

American English for Kids: 5:30-6:00 PM DST, Zoom

Tennis rules this week. While we were on break I took a stroll to a waterfall in a quarry in Ohio. Limestone is so interesting. Limestone is sedimentary rock, and often contains fossils. Much of the Midwest was covered with sea water. Look closely at these slabs. There are sea fossils. What can you find?

   

October 18: Come and talk about the past two weeks. We got a lot of living done!

Words and Phrases

bag limits: the legal, allowable number, size and sex of animals, fish, or fowl a hunter or angler can kill in a set time (day or season)

change our perspective: look at something from a new view in totality and from another mindset

Hobby Lobby: a popular craft store

I see some...in our (your) future: a prediction of something that is going to happen (because it will be engineered to go that way)

naked eye: seeing things without assistance like, glasses, binoculars, loupes, telescopes, filters

network: meet with other people, make connections

niche: a particular field or classification

off the table: not part of the discussion or consideration

rules: takes priority over other things

setting our sights on: a stated goal

shots: photos

stunning: impressively attractive

tag: physical document attached to the animal after the kill detailing hunter identity information, date, time, etc.

three-dimensional

throw us a curve ball: surprise the is unexpected and unpleasant to deal with

violations: breaking morale or legal codes

October at International Friends

Hello Friends,

October is a busy month for Americans and Hoosiers. Homecoming dances and games are scheduled this month. High School and college students celebrate as well as alumni. The current slang for homecoming is hoco (hoe coe).

Spooky Halloween decorations are sprouting up in yards. Spectacular spooky decorations are sprouting up all over. Creative and quirky displays with ghosts and skeletons are funny as well as haunting.

Pumkin spice is the taste to enjoy from donuts to coffee to cocktails and desserts. Pumpkin spice is a combination of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger. This is the spice of pumpkin pies and does not contain pumpkin.

International Friends at the Glimpses: Best Practices Conference

October 9-11 International Friends American English and Culture meeting Friends are attending Glimpses: Best Practices in the Heartland. Friends can attend and be ambassadors 

• Hosting an informational table 
• Zooming our American English and Culture class for an on site to demonstration
• Presenting an informational breakout session

Friends can participate by signing up to host our informational table [Oct 9 4:30 pm, Oct 10 10:45 AM and/or 3:15 PM, Oct 11 9:45 AM and/or 11:55 AM]. Check your email.  Zoom the class as usual, attend the breakout session led by Carolyn to help others learn about International Friends and how we can help in other Midwestern communities. Register here.

Attend any of the breakout sessions as well as socialize with others at the conference.

American English and Culture

In the United States titles are used to show respect. 

• Mr. (Mister)=a man
• Mrs. (Missus)=a married woman
• Miss=an unmarried woman
• Ms (Miz)=a woman

These are commonly used with last names. Very young children may be encouraged to call teachers Miss (first name) instead of the more formal last name in daycare or preschool (a Southern practice).

When you don't know the gender or marital status of a professional (or maybe even the name) and are writing an email or speaking directly to, you can defer to the title. The title is almost always used with the surname with the exception of talking to clergy (Pastor, Reverend, Father, Sister, Mother):

• Principal
• Professor
• Doctor (either medical or academic, this is
• Congressman
• Mayor
• Director
• President (of a company or a country)

Adults do not address their teachers as "teacher" when speaking directly to them,. Instead use the requested . Children may (Teacher, can I go to the bathroom.). We do not use a title of "Teacher" with a surname, but use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. (MS stands for the state of Mississippi).

Sir or ma'am are other respectful ways to address people around you when you do not know their name. This is common in the South.  For example, "Excuse me, ma'am, you dropped your keys."

Classes and Meetings

International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom

We read two difficult chapters in Genesis. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah and how the cities are destroyed is a well-known story in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions. This story is difficult because although we were warned about the evil of the people in the cities, we were discomfited by the demands for Lot to turn over his male guests to the mob and shocked that Lot offered his daughters in lieu of the men. (This is on the heels of Abraham showing gracious hospitality to these same guests negotiating for the protection of the cities.) Why would Lot offer his daughters? Did he not love them? Got Questions offers answers and regarding Genesis 19:1-11 offers:

We may sit in judgment of the culture of that day, but protecting one’s guests required great sacrifice. Was Lot right to offer his own daughters in place of the men the Sodomites wanted? No. We can see in the story that the Lord’s messengers protected Lot and his daughters in spite of Lot’s lack of character and worldly viewpoint. Lot meant to appease the men of Sodom so that the hospitality of his house would not be damaged, but he makes the wrong choice in offering his own daughters, and God’s messengers overruled him.

The family is led by the hand and escape the destruction of the cities. Then, Lot's daughters get Lot drunk and get pregnant by him. For us, this is a horrible outcome of their saving. We continue to see that even though people behave willfully and make decisions that are harmful, God still provides for them.

October 7:  Genesis 20-22. We will open with Psalm 121

American English and Culture: Thursday, 9-11:00 AM, Zoom

We explored what to expect at the Heartland conference. Friends talked about the value of talking to people we don't know in a welcoming community. 

We talked briefly about the Vice Presidential debate. The candidates were cordial and civilized. Read the transcript, watch a replay. 

October 10: Email a picture of your word brainstorm to be posted on the Notes and Handouts page. Do you have words on your list needing clarification?

American English for Kids: Friday, 5:30-6:00 PM, private Zoom

We talked about the Japanese "Middle Exams" which are given in the middle of the school year. These tests cover Social Studies, Math, Science, and English. In the United States, Middle School students take midterms and finals that are specific to the class and are developed by the teacher, rather than a standard, national exam. 

October 18: No class the 10th. When we get back be ready to talk about the results from Science and English exams. Be ready to talk about how the schools use the results of these exams.

Words and Phrases

clergy: formal leaders in an established religion

discomfited: made to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed

in lieu: instead, as a trade

last names: surname, family name

on the heels: immediately following

stands for: represents

turn...over: give something to be used for a different purpose