Happy Holidays and See You Next Year!

Happy Holidays, Friends.

I hope that you have a warm, safe, and joyous holiday. This week is the last time we will officially see each other until next year (that joke never gets old for me; not since second grade when I first heard it!).

Be sure to get out and enjoy the beautiful lights on these cold evenings like our Conversation class did on Wednesday evening. Take at drive to 4830 Greenspire Drive, Carmel and tune your radio to 90.7 and watch the light show! Check out the Japanese park, the gazebo and the fountain at Carmel's City Hall, One Civic Square, Carmel. There are many other beautiful places to see the Christmas lights. I hope that you take a drive and see the show!

Medical Professional Week:
A very big thanks to all the medical professionals that met with us to talk about health care in the United States and other countries. Dr Heather Schumman (family practice), Dr. Motoko Kataoka (dentistry/endodontist), Dr. Gonz Chua (general medicine and more!), Masami Yamamoto (pharmacist), Dr. Felicia (Fang Ling) Chang (opthamologist), Alan Wang (surgical), Joette Morris (OB GYN neonatal).Carla van Eyk (public health), and Melanie Guzzi (nurse who developed our handouts).

Top advice:

• Write down your questions; write down the answers to your questions.
• Present your written questions to the healthcare provider; you can even give them to the nurse during the prescreening so the doctor can see them before seeing you.
• Interpreters are available by phone at most medical facilities. You can request the doctor to call one and you can use the translator via phone conversation to help you.
• Talking to your healthcare providers is intimidating no matter what your language (even if it is English).
• Take a friend to help you with asking questions and listening to answers.
• Expired medicines should be disposed of even if it hasn't been opened; the chemicals change and are not effective and can be dangerous.
• Cranberry juice is great for urinary symptoms; you will still need antibiotics.
• Antibiotics must be taken the way they are directed. Take the full amount for the full time.
• If you forget to take a dose of medicine, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to the next dose, then wait and take it then to stay on schedule.
• Common over the counter drugs with their product and ingredient name: Advil=ibuprofen; Tylenol=acetaminophen; Mucinex and Robitussin=guaifenesin. Choose drugs with only one ingredient. Check prescription medicines and do not overdose with over the counter medicines. Check over the counter medicines to make sure you aren't overdosing.

We enjoyed our holiday party at my house. It was so nice to get together and sing traditional Christmas carols and exchange white elephant gifts. If we didn't win a good elephant, we have our white elephant for next year!

We read the story of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:1-21, and Matthew 2: 1-12) that includes the figures in the nativity. We talked about the meaning of this story for all of us and for each of us at International Bible Study on December 16. While this was the first time for a few of us to hear and read this story, we found that the story is new to us every time we read it. After a year of living, we find that our lives are renewed by the astonishing story of a God who loves this world to come as a tiny baby to be familiar to us and to love us so that we can living relationship with Him. We are the reason for this amazing story.

We will resume classes and meetings the first full week in January beginning with our International Friends Meetings on January 6, 2015 with Bible Study at 9:00. Masami will bring her Mochi Maker and we will enjoy fresh Mochi and talk about our holiday experiences beginning at 10:30.

I hope that you have peace and joy this holiday and look forward to seeing you again next year.

Carolyn

Cookies, Nativities, and looking forward to our Health Care visitors

Hello, Friends.

Friday was a dreary December day! A great day to be baking cookies and addressing cards and preparing for the holidays. What are your plans? Are you going out of town? Don't forget to stop your mail! If you are leaving town, don't turn off your furnace. You can turn it down to a lower temperature, but if you turn it off, and the weather should turn, your pipes can freeze and burst causing your house to flood while your are gone. What a mess!

Since we are rolling into flu season, we will be having medical professional guests at our meetings and classes December 9 and 11. Bring your questions for advice for talking to you healthcare professionals and learn more about how to communicate about your health needs no matter what the country!

Carolyn

Tuesday's International Bible Study read John 5:16-30. Jesus is being persecuted (for healing on the Sabbath) by the Jewish leaders: this was mainly for his teaching and popularity among the people, but the Jewish leaders were afraid of Him. He made them look foolish and uneducated with His teaching. This is a wonderful lesson: Jesus teaches that God, His Father is always at work and ... [Jesus] too is working on our behalf (John 5:17). This is a comfort to us. Jesus goes on to explain how He knows what to do and what His work is. He tells the Jewish religious leaders to honor Him, just as they honor the Father...and warns that God has given Jesus the responsibility to judge us (a good reason to respect someone!) and that that judgment can lead to a death penalty, but Jesus assures us (and them) that if we believe what He says about God (that He is always at work on our behalf  because He loves us as as His children) and about Himself (that He is God's Son who has come to save us and give us life), then we have a good relationship with Jesus and with God. He is reliable!

We made traditional cookies at International Friends. We made gingerbread, sugar and shortbread and decorated them. We practiced having a cookie walk (not really!). I ended up with a lot of gingerbread...this is a good thing: I love it! I was told that they weren't to Asian taste. I also brought persimmon pudding to taste to our meeting. I misquoted the review for this: it was the same recipe that was in one reviewer's family for 130 years (not 300!). This is a very traditional Indiana style recipe. I hope that you have a chance to try it with your family.

Conversation on Wednesday, I brought the game of Jacks and we all tried this old fashioned game. The style that I have is difficult to find in the United States, because the jacks are small and metal and may be a dangerous hazard to very small children. We also made some traditional Indian cookies:
Nankhatai. We decided that these cookies are the same as the Japanese cookies Snowballs! I wonder where these cookies originated?

After classes on Thursday we painted our Nativities. Our pictures are posted as a private group on Facebook. To see this page, you need to be my "friend". Please "friend" me and let me know you want to be added to this group.

dreary: drab, uninteresting, boring
dreary December day: multiple words in a row in a sentence that begin with the same sound are called an alliteration. Alliterations call attention to what is being said and creates a musical effect, they make information easier to remember. When people choose a name or marketing people
weather should turn: the weather changes
[Jesus}: when reading and there are brackets [] around a word; it means that the writer is inserting a word to better explain what is being said when repeating a quote
persecuted: to annoy, trouble or harass someone
behalf: in the interest of someone, to speak for and support someone else
death penalty: put to death by law because of a behavior
taste: in this case the word taste is used to mean whether someone likes the way something tastes or
misquoted: repeated a fact or something that someone had said incorrectly
originated: started; where something began

Happy Black Friday, Friends.

I hope you are recovering from your feast and enjoying spending your bread!

I was just noticing that I made a mistake in the summary of our Bible study, and I wanted to make sure that you have the whole story. I left out the most human interest part: what was the guy's sin?!!

So, once again:

We met Tuesday at International Bible Study to talk about the story of the man who was healed by Jesus at a pool (that was said to heal people) on the Sabbath (the Jewish Holy Day). The man offers excuses/blames for his actions or inactions: we discovered that the man tells him to, "Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you (John 5:14)." This is great advice because if we don't recognize and stop acting in a way that hurts ourselves or others, something worse could always happen! In this case the man's sin was not recognizing that his actions were causing his problems. He was not admitting to himself or other people when he was at fault. Jesus found the man at the temple (he could only go there if he were healthy, according to the laws). Jesus was showing by example that to reach out in kindness and help each other is NEVER against God's law. At the end of the day, the man told the Jewish religious leaders that Jesus healed him telling them that Jesus is God. We were reminded of the 1 John 1:8-9: if we say we have no sin we are lying to ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we recognize and admit to our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from that sin and make us new! All we have to do is say the word!

Thank you for your time today and allowing me to correct my mistake and finish the story.

Carolyn

spending your bread: bread is slang for money!
the whole story: all of the story; a complete message
human interest: what people are interested in, not just currentnews
Holy Day: look! guess where the word "holiday" comes from
at fault: responsible for an undesirable event
1 John: another book of the Bible, a letter by John to Christians everywhere that tells people to love each other and God, who loves us first and foremost
cleanse: a good, old fashioned word for clean
say the word: admit to something; a good pun! in the

Happy Thanksgiving; Now On To Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

I hope that all of you enjoy a great feast with your family and friends.

I hope that you have a productive hunt at the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping (and all the shopping in between).

Yes! We have our December schedule. Be sure to read all of this Update so you are prepared!

I hope that you have begun your Christmas preparations and enjoy the Christmas decorations. Many people took advantage of the beautiful weather this past weekend to put up outdoor holiday lights (don't light them until after Thanksgiving!) There are many opportunities to enjoy the wonder of the community lights:

Circle of Lights Tree Lighting: November 28, 6:00 p.m., 1 Monument Circle
Noblesville Tree Lighting Ceremony: November 29, 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hamilton County Judicial Center in downtown Noblesville. Sing carols and hear Mayor John Ditslear read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Zionsville Christmas in the Village, November 30. The Christmas Parade steps off at 3:45 p.m., 5:00-6:00 enjoy activities. The Lighting of the Village and Tree will begin at 6:00 p.m. There are free carriage and trolley rides.

Carolyn

We met Tuesday at International Bible Study to talk about the story of the man who was healed by Jesus at by a pool (that was said to heal people) on the Sabbath  (the Jewish Holy Day). The man offers excuses/blames for his actions or inactions: we discovered that when Jesus tells him to, "Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you (John 5:14) that Jesus was telling him to recognize that Jesus is God

We talked about customs in our home countries regarding aging adults and a little about our hopes for Black Friday shopping. We decided to try our luck at Christmas cookie baking next week for International Friends.

Tuesday, December 2
International Friends Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 5:16-30
International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's bake Christmas Cookies: Join us as we bake holiday classics: Gingerbread, spritz,

Wednesday, December 3: Conversation, 4:30-6:00: Don't forget your homework; bring your slang stories to share.

Thursday, December 4: English Classes, 9:30-12:00: Bring your ideas for Medical Day. If you have a copy of my daughter's survey completed, bring it. I will be bringing paper copies for you to finish. Bring your lunch if you wish to stay after and paint your Nativity scenes.

Tuesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 27: Medical Professional Day
Medical professionals will join us for the last hour of our meetings to talk with us about the best way to communicate with our doctors, nurses, and give us tips for our health.

Wednesday, December 10, 4:30-6:00: Let's bake Christmas Cookies
Wendy is bringing her family traditional cookie recipe for us to make.

Tuesday, December 16: Bible Study and Holiday Party at Carolyn's House. Details to follow.

Wednesday, December 17 and Thursday, December 18: Last classes of the year!

productive: good results, good
took advantage of: gain, use. This also has a negative meaning when someone takes advantage of you, they use you to to their own advantage and your disadvantage
try our luck: try something with questionable outcome

Happy Thanksgiving and Looking Ahead to December

Dear Friends,

I hope that you have a filling Thanksgiving and a very productive Black Friday!

Carolyn

Important Announcements:

• International Friends and International Bible Study will meet on Tuesday (11/25). All other classes and meetings on break: Happy Thanksgiving.
• If you ordered butter braids, they are in. Please pick them up on Tuesday, 9-12:00.
• Please be sure to visit our pages: http://indyinternationalfriends.blogspot.com/ There you will find all of our schedules, program information, things to do, and all of our previous Updates.
• December 2 we are hosting two tables at Advent By Candlelight. If you would like to join us for an evening of great desserts, conversation and recharge your spirit for the coming holiday season.
• We will be having Medical Professional Days Tuesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 11. Medical professionals will be visiting our program to help us understand healthcare in the United States. Do you have any questions?
• Wednesday, Conversation Class has homework! See the notes below. Your homework is due December 3!
• If you want to paint a nativity set, bring your lunch December 4. We will paint our sets and learn the story behind the nativity from 12:00-2:30.

In Tuesday's International Bible Study we read of an important man who had a very sick son. He came to Jesus to ask Him to save his son. The man believes Jesus can heal his son. Because he believes, Jesus tells him to go home!

We had a fabulous feast on Tuesday at our International Friends meeting! Don't forget to get your personal copy of our recipe book. Thank you to everyone who took pictures.

Tuesday, November 25
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read about how Jesus heals a man: John 5:1-15
International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's get ready for Black Friday Shopping!
Join us as we plan for our Black Friday shopping. What do you want? Where can you find it? Let's plan our shopping!

Wednesday, December 3 Conversation: Write a short story using at least three of these slang phrases. You will be reading them aloud. There will be fabulous gifts and prizes!

• So bummed out or totally bummed
• Psyched 
• Freaked out
• Holy mackerel
• Totally
• Happy camper
• Keep me posted

Words and Grammar
(11/25): November 25; we do month/day/year here in the States.
He, Him and his: These words can be tricky since they are not specific (being pronouns) and in this sentence are referring to two different men: He refers to the important man, Him refers to Jesus, and his refers to the son of the important man.
Nativity Set: traditional scene that displays the story of Jesus' birth. These are traditionally displayed in homes during the Christmas season.

Arctic Blast!

Brrrr! Friends!

Now it feels like winter! We get to have an Arctic Blast. Doesn't that sound like something you could get at Dairy Queen? I'd like an Arctic Blast with the Winter Mix topping, please. And speaking of the weather...The Old Farmer's Almanac is on sale for half price at Lowe's. You can plan your planting and see the weather predictions for all of 2015. This is said to be a very reliable source of information.

When the weather turns cold and it is gray, it is a good time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for because it can remind us of all of the things that make us content. At our Tuesday International Friends meeting we talked about what we are thankful for: we are all thankful for family, friends and the happiness that we have in our lives.

We celebrated Veteran's Day at International Friends. This is a great day in the United States where we honor those men and women that have served to protect our rights and freedoms in our Armed Forces. We were honored to have Cedric Davis (retired Army and husband of Saori), Tom Gambrel (retired Marine), and John Louk (retired Navy) visit us and tell us about their service. We are thankful for the work these men have done for us.

DON'T FORGET TO CLIP COUPONS and DON'T FORGET TO BRING THEM IN:

Check the fliers that come in the mail and clip the coupons. Bring them to church to put in the box to help our expat military and their families with their shopping. Our overseas stores honor these coupons even if they have expired. This little act is a great help to families.

We read how the Samaritan woman left her jar at the well and went to tell the people in her town that Jesus knew everything about her in International Bible Study. She asked, "could he be the Savior?" She did believe he was. The people came from the town to meet Jesus and to hear Him. They invite Him to stay, Jesus stays with these enemies for two days (and they were shown hospitality). At the end of the visit, they Samaritans said that they believed that Jesus was the Savior because of the testimony of the woman, but after they met Him, they became witnesses to the fact that Jesus was the Savior. In this story, Jesus also teaches His Disciples that they are reaping the benefits of others' work. Jesus' care for all people paves the way for our peaceful relationships with each other. He shows them that God loves all people and that with and through Him we can have a good relationships.

In Conversation Class on Wednesday we talked of many things: Hair cuts, parties, moving, and Preparation H. We tasted tater tots (really, they are much better when they are hot out of the oven).

Saturday, November 11, 2:30-4:30: Family Fun: Chinese Brush Painting
Tuesday, November 18: International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 4:43-54: Jesus performs a second miracle.
Tuesday, November 18: International Friends, 10:30-2:00: Let's Feast!
Join us as we learn to prepare some traditional American Thanksgiving dishes and then have a feast. Bring your favorite feasting dish to share.
Wednesday, November 19:  Conversation, 4:30-6:00: On-line tips and conversation: what sites are necessary to know about and what sites are just fun.
Thursday, November 20: English Classes, 9:30-12:00

What a great week we have coming up! I am looking forward to spending it with you.
Carolyn


reliable source of information: when the news comes from a source that can be trusted as being accurate
honor: show our respect
were honored: it was our privilege
content: peacefully happy, satisfied
clip coupons: cut discount coupons out of the paper
expat: a person who works and lives outside the country where they hold citizenship. Are you an expat?
honor: will follow the agreement, when stores "honor" coupons, they allow the purchaser to use the coupon as it was intended in the United States
hospitality: friendly treatment of guests
reaping the benefits: taking advantage of or getting
paves the way: makes circumstances easier for other who follow

November News

Hello, Friends:

November is a great month full of fun and excitement: We are cooking and feasting, sleeping off our feast and watching football and parades on Thanksgiving; shopping on Black Friday, and decorating for Christmas (no tree or lights before Thanksgiving, please).

We will be celebrating our Thanksgiving Feast on Tuesday, November 18. We will be demonstrating how to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving turkey and several other traditional dishes. Bring your favorite feasting dish to share. We will begin eating at 11:30 and feast until we are full!

Please RSVP to me with a copy of your recipe to put in our Thanksgiving cookbook at indyintlfriends@gmail.com by Wednesday, November 12 or bring a paper copy to our classes by Thursday, November 13 so I can get the book made in time :)

Happy November! It's a great month.

Carolyn

We studied the story of the Samaritan woman at the well found in the Bible in John 4:1-26 during International Bible Study. Samaritans are distant relatives of the Jewish people. They are very familiar with God and look for the savior that was promised to all people. The Samaritans and the Jewish people were not We also read the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37); this story

To learn a little more about Thanksgiving history, International Friends completed two crossword puzzles: one about the first Thanksgiving and the other about turkeys (the most important part of Thanksgiving). Everyone got three sheets for "homework."

• Please write what you are thankful for... 
• The Thanksgiving Fill In has many words often used when thinking about Thanksgiving.
• The answers to the Thanksgiving Challenge are: 1.a, 2.c, 3.a, 4.d, 5.b, 6.d, 7.b, 8.a, 9.b, 10.c

We are clipping coupons for the troops. We all get coupons in the mail, many that we never use. We can pass these to our military and their families to use to save their money. Saori told us that the stores that provide American products on the bases have coupons available for the shoppers to use to save money that come from people in the States who clip them and pass them along. Because of the distance, expired coupons are honored. This is a very small project for us that is a really big outcome for people far away. Please bring coupons for products. Store coupons (Bed Bath and Beyond, Michael's, etc.) and restaurant coupons can not be used.

At our Conversation class on Wednesday evening, we talked about the different terms for alcohol: booze, cordials, We talked about how to save foods or prepare new dishes from the large amounts we get from Costco. Any breads (bagels, muffins, croissants) can be frozen. Bagels can be sliced into thin circles and toasted in the oven to make chips to be stored in your pantry. Berries can be frozen whole (don't wash them and freeze them on a flat sheet; when they are frozen, store them in plastic bags) or pureed and frozen in ice cube trays. Dried fruits last forever! If you are looking for other ways to use them: you can bake cakes and muffins with them, you can stuff them into pork chops or a pork loin. You can heat them in wine with spices to make mulled wine (a traditional Christmas drink).

International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 4:27-42; the rest of the story of Jesus' visit with the Samaritans.
International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's Talk About Veteran's Day
Join us as we talk about Veteran's Day in the United States. Why is this holiday important?
Conversation, 4:30-6:00: Let's talk about Thanksgiving, Schawans', taste tater tots, look at Pinterest, home cleaning and maintenance schedule tips, and all the other stuff we come up with!

Black Friday: the shopping day when stores finally see a profit for the year and their balance sheet move from the red column to black
RSVP: let me know if you are coming
parable: a story that is told to illustrate a lesson
clipping coupons: cut coupons out of the newspapers or circulars
troops: military
expired: past the date it is valid
honored: regarded with respect
pantry: cabinets that store dry goods

Happy Halloween

BOO! Friends.

I hope that you are ready for Halloween: the greatest holiday for kids! Did you see the forecast? We have the possibility of rain, drizzle and wintery mix (doesn't this sound like a delicious snack?). Ahhh. Scary weather for a scary night.

• Be careful driving during the hours of 5:00-9:00. 
• Remember to look through your little spooks candy: unwrapped candy should not be eaten.
• Be safe and keep warm.

This weekend we Fall Back. Move your clocks back one hour when you go to bed: so if you go to bed at 11:00, set your clock back to 10:00.

Enjoy your candy and the end of Daylight Savings with an extra hour of sleep!
Carolyn

P.S. I tried to load pictures onto this page...was there a software update? I don't know what happened, but I will have to get my pictures to you later. I am sorry.

We read John 3:22-36 in International Bible Study this week. In this story John the Baptist is baptizing, and so is Jesus. The people get into a discussion about who and how and rules about baptism. This discussion continues in the Christian church today. This great gift becomes a point of discussion and division (how much water, how it is applied and at what age), yet all Christians agree that baptism is important. The Bible does not describe in detail how this was done (except for Jesus' baptism). Different churches follow different customs and rules, but all believers believe that Baptism is an important act and gift from God. Titus 3:5 tells us that we are saved from spiritual death not because of the good things that we do or by following certain customs, but through the "washing and rebirth and renewal" by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist gives us a beautiful image: he steps back so that Jesus can step forward. He prepared the way so that the loving relationship between the "the bridegroom (Jesus) and the bride (the people)" could begin.

Pastor Scott sat in with us. He enjoyed our discussions and study and hopes to join us in the future. He will be preaching (giving the message or sermon) this Sunday at Carmel Lutheran Church Worship Services.

We carved pumpkins at International Friends. Yes, some people dared to dress up! We had clowns! Good work! We tasted candy corn and Indian corn (they taste better than when I was a kid). And we played a traditional relay game with a twist: the fastest team and the team that had the most make it into the cup were winners. We found excellence in both teams! Ahhh! I love a good race!HOLIDAY TIP: Spray the inside of your pumpkin with bleach water to keep the mold from growing.

Holiday Tip: Spray the inside of your jack o lanterns with bleach water to keep the mold from growing.

We roasted pumpkin seeds:

• Clean the "guts" and rinse seeds.
• Toss with seasonings of choice:cinnamon sugar, Costco blend, Old Bay, Steak n' Shake or just salt. Add a little oil if you like: olive, coconut, melted butter...
• Spread on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 400F until they are toasty and brown tossing them toast them evenly (about 20 minutes).

OR

• You can try frying them on the stove (use a little oil)
• You can try broiling them, but you have to watch them closely so they don't burn.

We took a field trip with the Wednesday Conversation to the Halloween store and to see Wendy's decorations and other houses in the neighborhood. 

At English Classes there was so much going on! There were discussions about Halloween and the words in the languages for "scary." We had an informal poll and discovered that daughters are harder to raise than sons...usually. We learned about Chile Verde at75th and Shadeland has a  mariachi band play on Fridays; enjoy some traditional (and not so traditional) Mexican music with your meal; Carniceria Guanajuato at 5210 West Pike Plaza Road or 3110 N. Shadeland Ave. has great tacos: try the lingua (beef tongue) tacos.

Tuesday, November 4

International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 4:1-26, the story of the woman at the well.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's talk about Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the American traditional harvest/feast day. Come and hear the history of this great holiday and learn more about our feasting traditions. We will also talk about our feast on November 18.

Wednesday, November 5

Conversation: Let's talk about how to use "leftovers" and the overabundance of great food from Costco.

Thursday, November 6

In our English Classes the Conversation Class will play Euchre at the beginning of class. 

Words and phrases:
Fall Back: move your clock back one hour to Eastern Standard Time (or let your electronics do the work for you!)
drizzle: a light rain
wintery mix: a combination of rain, sleet and snow coming down at the same time
point of discussion and division:
sat in with us: attended
dared: had the courage
relay: a race with a number of participants that replace each other to divide the activity
with a twist: an unexpected change in the events or outcome
excellence: the quality of being outstanding or good
broiling: cooking under the highest and continuous heat setting in the oven.
going on: happening
informal poll: an opinion survey to discover what people generally thing about a subject in politics they call this a straw poll

Service Project Personal Hygiene Items Wanted

Hello, Friends:

Gloria's Girl Scout Troop is preparing personal hygiene kits for the homeless. Please consider donating any of the small items listed below:

travel size soaps, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste
wash cloths
disposable razors (for men or women)
toothbrushes

Bring your donations to any of our meetings or classes next week: October 28-30. Gloria will collect them on the 30.

Thank you for your help.

Carolyn

Wrapping up October

Hello, Friends.

We had our first frost here in Carmel Thursday morning. This wasn't a killing frost. This is a good time to clean out your beds and get them ready for the winter.

Are you ready for Halloween? Michael's has decorations 50-70% off! You might want to run over and pick up a few things. Next Friday is the big day. If you want "trick or treaters" to stop at your house, turn on your porch light. The little "spooks" expect candy; one piece of candy per child is fine. If you offer a whole bowl they will grab a handful. Check WISH TV for your community's time to trick or treat.

And about the Butter Braids: Please bring your money next week; it needs to be turned in by November 3. Checks can be made out to Operation Friendship. Thank you for helping out with this fundraiser.

In Bible Study we read John 3:1-21. Jesus teaches the Jewish teacher Nicodemus. This man came to Jesus at night to ask questions and to learn from Him. Jesus teaches him many things: that the Holy Spirit gives birth to our spirit, and that through that birth you are given new life. The most famous verse that tells everyone about why Jesus came is found here (John 3:16) and the following verse is just as important (John 3:17): For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

At International Friends we talked about making appointments and emergency calls. When you make a call:
1. Be polite with your tone
2. Small talk isn't necessary.
3. Speak slowly.
4. Have your calendar available as well as a list of the information you need for the call.
5. Keep the other person on the line until all your questions are answered.
6. Ask for the other person's name in case you need to call back.
For emergency and service calls:
1. Know your location. Practice saying your address so it is a habit.
When you dial 911:
1. Stay on the line until they tell you to hang up. They will continue to give you directions and instructions.
2. If you accidentally dial 911, stay on the line. If you hang up, they will call you back to make sure you are ok.
2. Use 911 for emergencies such as fires and accidents or dangerous situations where you need immediate help or when you can't handle
3. Expect to have a fire truck, ambulance and police officers arrive. They usually everyone out.
Call your gas/power company when you smell gas; not 911. They will give you directions to keep safe that will include not turning on lights, leaving your home, etc. and will dispatch someone immediately to investigate.

At Conversation on Wednesday we talked mostly about holidays and places to go. It was interesting to hear where people would like to go (for free) if they could go anywhere in the United States. We enjoyed some delicious snacks (thank you, Yoko) including garlic bread and artichoke dip and roasted honey maple sugar nuts.

Have a safe and delightful weekend.
Carolyn

October 28
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 3:22-36, John the Baptist testifies about Jesus. We will talk about baptism and the role it plays in our lives.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's carve pumpkins into Jack o' Lanterns
Bring a serrated knife and a pumpkin (bring a large pumpkin, not a pie pumpkin) to carve into a Jack o' Lantern for your front porch. We will roast pumpkin seeds and a pumpkin. Come ready to try some fun, traditional games. Wear your costume if you dare!

October 29
Conversation, 4:30-6:00: Let's talk about Halloween and take a field trip to see houses that are decorated.

killing frost: when temperatures are cold enough to kill everything but the hardiest plants.
clean out your beds: trim back plants and pull the dead plants out of your flower and vegetable gardens.
run over: take a quick trip
pick up: buy
is the big day: a day that is anticipated for a long time.
in or at: should you use "in" or "at" when talking about being somewhere? Either is fine. People say they are at home (never in home). Students can be in or at school.
Butter Braids: delicious pastries that are easy to make.
fundraiser:
small talk: polite conversation including such things as: how is your day, how are you.
stay on the line: don't hang up the phone. The dispatcher can tell what is going on and alert the emergency staff of your situation. They will call you back if you hang up.
dispatch: send someone.

Changes to Tuesday

Dear Friends,

The church has a funeral on Tuesday, October 21. As a result, we will be meeting in the upstairs classrooms. Please enter Door 6 and go up the stairs past the welcome desk. Here is our adjustment to our program planning:

October 21
International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's practice making appointments!
We will practice making appointments. Service, appointments, doctor appointments, calling your children in for a sick day or an appointment, etc. Please e-mail me at indyintlfriends@gmail.com with appointments you would like to practice; you can also add to the comments on our blog page.

October 28
International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's get ready for Halloween!
Bring a pumpkin to carve (a big pumpkin, not a pie pumpkin), markers and a serrated knife. We will carve pumpkins, roast pumpkin seeds, and play Halloween party games. Wear your costume if you dare!

Thank you for understanding.
Carolyn

Happy Fall!

Hello, Friends.

What day of the week do fish hate the most?

Fry-day!

Hahaha! Get it? Fry-day!

I hope that you have a great Friday. I hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful fall color. Take advantage of the fabulous fall. Check out what Indiana has to offer at
Honest to Goodness Indiana. There is so much for everyone in your own backyard during this colorful season.

Carolyn

Jesus cleaned the temple was our story at International Bible Study. The temple was being used as a market for the convenience of the people traveling to celebrate Passover. John tells this story in the beginning of Jesus' career. The other Gospels tell the story just before Jesus is crucified. Some main points:

• before Jesus "cleans up" for other people, He cleans His own house
• Jesus demonstrates righteous indignation, sometimes you have to throw tables
• leaders questioned Jesus' authority, the people loved Him
• Jesus knew the hearts and minds of people

We practiced ordering from a menu at International Friends. Thank you, Lupita, for explaining some delicious Mexican dishes. I will put in a plug for The Toros Mexican restaurant just North of 146th Street on Gray Road.

We also said Happy Birthday and Best Wishes to Chiaki. She is returning to Japan for a short visit. We wish her the very best.

We tasted grits at Conversation on Wednesday. In the Southern states, grits are like rice in Asia or potatoes in Ireland...You can't have a meal without them. They are very easy to make. They can be eaten plain or dressed up with sauces, toppings and mix-ins. We tried both savory and sweet. We tried Muffaletta sauce (thank you, Costco), cheddar and/or parmesan cheeses, and for dessert: butter and brown sugar. 

We also made luminarias for Halloween.

We discovered something very interesting in our English Classes. Many of you are familiar with English, but are struggling here in the United States. Perhaps you learned and listened to British English in your home country! This would make our style, cadence, pronunciation, and some definitions/idioms sound a bit confusing. Be patient. Keep listening. You can adapt what you have learned to this "style" of English!

Tuesday, October 21

International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 3:1-21.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's talk about Halloween.

Join us in friendly and scary party games and talk about Halloween in Indiana. Dress up if you dare!

Wednesday, October 22

Conversation, 4:40-6:00: Let's talk about....Muhahahahaha. A surprise topic!

Thursday, October 23

English Classes, 9:30-12:00
We will continue with our English classes in spite of Fall breaking all around us! If you will miss class, please let your teacher know in advance or e-mail me.

Get it?: Do you understand?
check out: look at, see
has to offer: opportunities
your own backyard: locally, in the area
convenience: something that is handy; this is another pun (like fry-day)
put in a plug: recommend
just: not far; very close
short visit: no one is allowed to move away permanently, EVER!
dressed up: to make something more impressive; to add to something plain and make it fancy

Fall is Underway

Hello, Friends:

Fall is underway; winter is on its way! What damp and chilly weather we have been are having! This time of year you can never tell which way the weather will turn.One minute it is sunny, the next minute it is cloudy and the next it is raining. I'm glad we haven't seen any snow, yet!

This is a long, long, update. Be sure to read to the end! If you asked me about something this week, I hope I answered you.

Have a great weekend!
Carolyn

The story of the Marriage at Canaan was our topic at our International Bible Study, John records Jesus' first miracle: he turned water into wine (John 2:1-11)! What an unusual and wonderful gift to the wedding party. The wine was running out in the middle of the wedding (three days into the celebration), then Jesus asked servants to fill some jars that were used to hold water for ceremonial washing. He tells the servants to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. The water had become wine and the best wine! Jesus hadn't touched it. We discovered that Jesus saved:

• the marriage
• the "face" and reputation of the bridal families
• the party

The relationships of the people and the town were preserved. What an interesting choice for a first miracle; Jesus showed that He was a man and was approachable to solve our smallest problems. He cares that we have good lives and great relationships.

Because of the gloomy weather, we decided not to go into Conner Prairie with International Friends and to save the trip for pleasant weather. That didn't stop us from enjoying the museum shop or the Apple Store. We tasted the best apple fritters (This is the place to get them!). The store opens at 11:00a.m.), Enjoy hot apple cider or take a half gallon or gallon home. Buy a bag of apples or an apple pie. They say that the caramel apples here will ruin you for any other.

At Conversation on Wednesday afternoon, we talked about what to put in greeting cards. We came up with some ideas and discovered in Miss Manners Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior that the best sentiment is one that comes from your heart. It is always correct to write something personal in a card or greeting. It is unacceptable to just use the card. We talked about stealing ideas from a card shop. We found that it is most difficult to come up with something to say when we feel strongly about something and in that case we are at a loss for words. Finally, sometimes less is more: I hope you have a great day! is better than saying more of something you don't feel.

Here are some sites to get your creative juices flowing:

• Free card verses (by topic)
• Sentiments and Greetings for Handmade Cards (by occasion)
• Pinterest (let other people do the searching for you; search by topic (card sentiments and greetings))

We also talked about writing e-mails to your children's teachers. They are busy people that usually glance at an e-mail during the work day.

Greet them formally.
Cut to the chase.
Use numbers or bullet points if you have more than one question or request.
Do name your child in your note (you don't need to introduce yourself: you are signing the note at the end)

Dear Mrs. Yoshida,

My daughter Sally Willard has been having a great deal of trouble with her Algebra II exercises and tests. She has been working with her brother when he is home from college, but she still doesn't understand the concepts. We are at a loss on how to help her at this point. Please:

• arrange a time and place to go over this material with her
• provide me with alternative resources for us to help her
• let us know if she is focussing in class

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,
Carolyn Willard
emailaddress@mailsite.com
(mobile number)

Many of you are asking for grammar help in our Thursday English Classes. Each week your teacher is going over grammar topics. You may be enjoying your class so much that you aren't noticing the small and large details! If you have a text book (all levels but Conversation), you will notice that each lesson focuses on a particular grammar topic. Your teacher is also listening to correct your and other students' grammar. Listen.

October 14
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 2:12-25
Join us as we see Jesus in action and He cleans the temple.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's make appointments and order from menus.
Making appointments via telephone can be difficult. Join us as we practice calling to make a variety of appointments. We will look at menus from different American restaurants to talk about different ordering options and practice ordering.

October 15

Conversation: 4:30-6:00: Join us as we make and taste grits. We will talk about Halloween and decorating for this major holiday.

October 16

English Classes: 9:30-12:00: We are continuing our study of English. Help your teachers help you. Ask questions. Tell them what you want to know. They are happy to help you specifically.

damp and chilly: weather that includes light rain and cool temperatures
never tell which way the weather will turn: predict the weather

miracle: an event not explained by natural or scientific laws

draw some out: to get water out of a well or jar from the top; draw out can also mean: cause more time to spent doing something or to get information from someone
gloomy:  gray and overcast;  the weather can be gloomy; a person's attitude can be gloomy (negative)

pleasant: enjoyable, nice

apple fritters: chunks of apples mixed with donut batter, deep fried and glazed...mmmmmmm
Excruciatingly: painfully
sentiment: statement in a card; feeling, emotion, attitude
comes from your heart: something you feel
at a loss for words: can not think of what to say
creative juices flowing: get ideas for something
cut to the chase: get to the point, be polite, but not personal
at a loss: don't know how to help

The Last Post of September or the First Post of October or a Little of Both

Hello, Fall, and hello, Friends,

October is here. What a beautiful month to live in Indiana. The leaves are changing and the dawn With the start of October we start looking forward to the holiday of Halloween. Boo at the Zoo and the Children's Museums both have fun programs for younger children that have begun. The Haunted Houses and Scream Parks are getting ready. People are decorating their homes for fall and for Halloween. Do you know what you will dress up as this year?

At International Bible Study we read John 1: 35-50, how Jesus' first disciples came to follow Him.
This is an interesting story because we discovered that two disciples left John the Baptist to follow Jesus. Other disciples were relatives who followed Jesus when their told them to come and see. Finally, Jesus invited others to come and see. Jesus was a familiar person to them; a nice boy from a nice family.

We learned all about the game of football at International Friends. Elizabeth helped us learn terms and we watched the YouTube video How to Understand Football. We divided into two teams and walked through some of the ideas and rules of the game so we could better learn the terms and how to basically play the game. Watch this video a few times to learn the terms. There are some text bubbles that pop up to help you. Pause and back up as necessary. We played the classic: Table Top Football (or Paper Football). This game has been around since the 1950s and is always popular with teenage boys during study hall. First, you make the football (from paper) by folding a long sheet into triangles and tucking in the end. This game follows the rules of football, but is much more simple:
1. one player wins the toss (mark your football on one side; toss it in the air your opponent calls "heads" (the marked side) or "tails" (the plain side)).
2. play begins and the player moves the football "down the field" to try and score a touchdown within four moves.
3. a touchdown is when the football hangs off the edge of the table and is worth 6 points.
4. the player can then try for a field goal: the opponent makes a goal post with his or her hands (either with thumbs together and fingers pointing up or with index fingers and thumbs pointing up) and the other player kicks (actually, flicks) the ball to get it through the goal (one more point).
5. the game ends when the agreed upon points are reached, when the bell rings to change classes, or if you are playing while waiting for your pizza to be delivered, it is sudden death and the game is over when food arrives!
There are no set rules for this game, so make up penalties and your own special way of playing.

At our Conversation class on Wednesday we learned Eight Form Taichi and talked about health and exercise. Here are two links to YouTube videos. The first is one we did in class. The second is similar to the style and speed that I am more used to practicing. Try either of them for a quick warm up and work out:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXW3Vib5xfA (about eight minutes)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4JZ6aqCbA (about four minutes)

We found out that all of us like to exercise, but not the same way. 

• Piloxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_2wc00H5U (almost 11 minutes)
• Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wJtQjQ4HI8 (day one of the 30 day yoga challenge, nine and a half minutes)
• Zumba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtZop9VA9Uc (Boom Boom Pow! (about four minutes)
• Bodyweight exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw (Here are 45 of them! A sampling in five minutes; not a workout, but you'll feel tired from watching! And here are some for beginners https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMcHVwzHPA&list=UU5T3aH0T4NRCp9AbUfRxN2w&src_vid=POdzasJklxw&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_92793
• Chasing our kids.....

It's fun to try something to get you to move!

Have a great weekend!

Carolyn

Tuesday, October 7
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 2:1-11, Jesus' first miracle.
Join us as we read the first miracle that Jesus performs. This is my favorite.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00 (or as long as we like): Let's go to Conner Prairie
Join us as we go to see Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville, Rd., Fishers. We plan to go on the Balloon Voyage (but you may choose to sit this out). Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors 65+, and $10 for youth 2-12 (Group admission tickets are $3 less in each category. The Balloon Voyage with discount coupons cost $10 if we have 15 or more participants, or with the Rickers discount coupons, Tickets cost $15 for adults and $5 for youth 2-12.

Wednesday, October 8
Conversation, 4:30-6:00: Let's talk write sentiments and short notes for greeting cards.
Bring scissors, small sheets of wrapping paper, ribbons, etc. to make greeting cards and then brainstorm sentiments and wishes to write in them.

Thursday, October 9
English Classes: 9:30-12:00
As classes continue, don't forget to practice your English at every opportunity:

• Ask the person behind you in the grocery line about something they are purchasing (I haven't tried that before, how do you like to prepare it?)
• Listen to the sound of English talk shows (like you are listening to music) to catch the cadence of the language.
• Use your smartphone to record your own voice; is your pronunciation the same as the "professional broadcast English" you hear around you? 

Vocabulary and punctuation:

Hello, Fall, and hello, Friends,: Look at all those commas! You should always use a comma in a greeting in a note or email except when you begin a formal letter with Dear. It is acceptable to omit the comma after Fall since it is separating two short phrases separated by the word "and." To mane
disciple: someone who follows another person to learn from them
walked through: practiced or tried, not to be confused with walking through a spider web (which happens a lot this time of year)
pause: stop
classic: something that has been around a long time, it stands the test of time
(words (more words)).: Yes, parentheses within parentheses. The ending punctuation (period) goes on the outside if the last parenthesis. (notice the spelling: parentheses is a pair, parenthesis refers to just one).
study hall: time for students to study or catch up on work that us usually spent sleeping, playing games or in these modern times texting.
sudden death: a game ends and the points stand as they are.
sit this out: not participate

September 25 Update

Welcome to Fall, Friends!

The weather has been absolutely beautiful. There was so much to do in Carmel this weekend as well as around Indianapolis. I hope that you got out to enjoy the weather and events. I was lucky to

In International Bible Study we read about Jesus' baptism in John 1:29-34. In order to understand this story we referenced the other biographies of Jesus found in the Bible:

• Matthew 3:13-17
• Mark 1:9-11
• Luke 3:21-23, and 23-38 shows us how Jesus ancestors go back to Adam

We discovered that Jesus was a familiar person to those around Him. Something new happened during the Baptism. His status as God's Son was proclaimed. God said, "This is my Son, I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit came down from heaven "like a dove." This is one situation where we see God the One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the fundamental Christian belief). This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry. In baptism, a person becomes a child of God.

We tailgated in the parking lot at International Friends on Tuesday. We played the Indiana traditional game of cornhole. Here's how you play: take turns tossing four bean bags; a bean bag in the hole scores three points and one on the board scores one point. there are many more details and rules (that are made up at the tailgate), but the most important one is the tailgate handicap: you must have your beverage in your hand! Tailgating is a fun social event. Some people go all out and have more than a grill. People may become creative and competitive and even bring an RV for cooking comfort.

At Wednesday Conversation we talked about the many places to go and things to do in the Indianapolis Area this weekend. We also talked about going to the Indiana Dunes and that a beautiful beach is 2:45 from Carmel!

Our English Classes continue to grow. I interrupted classes to share the important slang word: hoity toity. Be sure to remember this gem of a term. While it is oldie it is still a goodie when it's first use was in 1668.

This has been a long weekend with many exciting things to do. Be sure to look for Fall: it seems like the trees got the message from the calendar and have begun to change their color.

Have a great evening and see you soon!
Carolyn

Tuesday, September 20, Room 100
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: John 1:35-51, Jesus invites disciples to join Him.
Join us as we see how Jesus invites people to join Him and how they respond.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's talk about football!
We were so busy tailgating, we didn't have time to even begin to talk about football! Join us as Elizabeth explains the terms we need to know to watch and talk about the big game.

Wednesday, October 1, Upstairs Classroom
Open Conversation: 4:30-6:00: Let's try taichi!
Join us as we try Eight Form Taichi and talk about fitness and exercise. What is your favorite way to exercise (mine was 16 ounce curls this weekend!)? What is good for you? Why do you think so? Do we really even want to exercise? Join us as we talk about this and many other things (in English!)

Thursday, October 2, Upstairs Classrooms
English Classes: 9:30-12:00: We are continuing to grow in our English skills. Now you are becoming familiar with your teachers and the other friends in your class. It is an important time because you want to become comfortable with each other so that you can easily share conversational English. Listen to your teachers' accents. Do they sound different than the friends around you? How do you suppose other people hear your accent?

absolutely: totally, without limits
biographies of Jesus: these four books of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are called the Gospels (good news)
tailgated: a party or picnic out of the back of your car or van before a sporting event.
handicap: a rule or system that levels the playing field, or gives advantages to players
go all out: make an extreme effort
2:45: two hours and forty five minutes
hoity toity: people who think they are better than other people (usually related to more money) and let everyone around them know it: (zamasu for short!)
comfortable with each other: familiar

September 19 Update

Hello, Friends!

I am writing this with apple cider simmering on the stove. What a delicious way to celebrate a cool morning. When I make hot cider, I add an orange, a cinnamon stick and whole cloves to the pan and let it simmer. If I am making just a cup, then I might splash a little orange juice and a dash of ground cinnamon and cloves (or even pumpkin pie spice).

We had a great trip to Stuckey Farm on with the International Friends on Tuesday. The weather was perfect, even if the quinces were not!

At International Bible Study John the Baptist is asked to testify who he is. The people wondered if he was the Christ (the Savior), or the Prophet, or Elijah (a prophet who God took directly to heaven without him dying, see 2 Kings 2:11). John tells them that he is the one who is telling the people to, "get ready, get prepared." John was baptizing (washing) the people who heard and believed what he said (faith). Through baptism sins are forgiven and a new life of faith is born. This is grace: free and undeserved favor of God that is given to anyone who hears about it and believes. In this story, we see that God gives us every opportunity to be successful in our lives and our relationship with Him. He doesn't try to trick us or trap us, but wants us to be fully aware of His intentions and purpose and see His love and care for us. We, in turn, love and care for each other.

At Wednesday Conversation we looked at articles in the Current in Carmel to see what was interesting this week. The Current in Carmel, Fishers, etc. are a great place to find out what is going on and opportunities to see and do things. The Barktember article was interesting. At the close of the swimming season, the Monon Center opens the pools to the dogs. This fundraiser for the Hamilton County Humane Society always has a great turn out. We enjoyed reading about a Colombian dessert made with coconut and brown sugar. Yum. We also looked at some ALS challenge videos on YouTube. The ALS challenge is sweeping the nation. This fundraiser combines fun and media: dump icy water over your head, or contribute to the cause and post your challenge to your friends on Facebook. While it has been a great fundraiser it has even further raised the awareness of this disease.

Thursday English Classes have continued to move forward. As you get comfortable with your teachers and the materials, your English skills will grow. The tip of the week: listen to the radio as you drive. You don't have to try to decode every song and every word. Just listen and enjoy the sound of English. You will be surprised how soon you begin to pick up the language.

It looks like we might have a return to summer this weekend. Get your shorts out!

Carolyn

Tuesday, September 23
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30: Jesus is baptized and calls disciples
Join us as we read John 1:29-15 to see how Jesus begins His ministry.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00: Let's Tailgate!
Tailgating is the national pastime of picnicking in the parking lot before (and after) a sporting event. Fans tailgate at football and soccer games.

• Bring your comfortable chairs or blankets, 
• BYOB (bring your own beverage (usually the last b stands for booze or beer, but it's a bit early for some?)), 
• Bring a snack to share. If you want to try traditional 
• Wear your spirit wear (who is your favorite team?)

I will bring my portable grill and charcoal (required at any tailgate I attend! Gotta have the meat!) and my cornhole game. We will meet in the parking lot behind the church.

And here is an enthusiastic game day meal, all dressed up to look like the stadium! Overachiever!

Wednesday, September 24
Casual Conversation, 4:30-6:00
Join us for casual conversation highlighting whatever is on Wendy's mind. And, this week we will all try 8 Form Taichi so that we can all participate at the Carmel International Arts Festival, September 27-28.

Thursday, September 25
English Classes, 9:30-12:00
Join us for formal English Classes. The Conversation class will be taking a field trip to Journey to practice buffet conversation.

simmering: boiling slowly
splash: in cooking a small amount of liquid
dash: in cooking a quick sprinkle
quinces: plural form of quince; an tree from Asia that produces an acidic (No kidding! Blah. Don't taste it when it isn't ripe) fruit.
testify: give evidence in court
in turn: as a result
pick up: learn
overachiever: usually someone who has a greater success rate than most people; in this case it is someone who makes everyone else's snacks look like amateurs. Yes, I'm jealous!

WE ARE GOING APPLE PICKING TODAY. WEAR YOUR BOOTS!

September 13 Update

Hello Friends,

This has been a really busy week. There is so much going on in our programs, and we are getting acquainted and enjoying meeting together. This weekend is a very busy weekend around town. There is so much to do in the fall. There are festivals near and far. In Carmel, alone, there were many fun events including the Chinese Mooncake Celebration and the Arts Walk on Saturday as well as the High School Homecoming. Then Sunday is the first PorchFest from 1:00-5:00 p.m. where bands are playing live music on neighborhood porches. What a fun way to spend the afternoon! Indianapolis is hosting the Irish Festival in Military Park. Then beginning September 15 is Northside Nights where you can taste special meals at special prices.

Get out on the town while the weather is beautiful!
Carolyn



This in International Friends Bible Study this  week we read about who was John the Baptist. Remembering that the Bible is the "library of God" we were able to discover who John was by looking at the other biographies of Jesus (also known as the Gospels):

• Matthew 3:1-12
• Mark 1:1-8
• Luke 1: 40-45, Luke 3

and Isaiah 40:3 is the Old Testament prediction of John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus.

At this week's International Friends Meeting we talked about bad language. We covered a lot of ground! Main points to remember about swearing is that people use this kind of language when they want to feel more important or to hurt another person. They also might use it to be funny (or to earn money for their swear jar!). Generally, these words fall into these categories: mean names, body parts, sexual, and blasphemies. And no, they aren't included in our vocabulary this update, but listen to some rap music or go to the movies and you will hear many of them!

A group of us went to pick Concord grapes at the Country Moon Winery. And a good number of us went solo. Who knew this beautiful gem was so close? We took the scenic route to get there and to get home, but the trip was worth it!

What are you going to make with your grapes? Concord Grape Jam is a popular. So far, we are enjoying eating them, or I have been putting a handful in my glass of water for a taste of grape.

Wednesday Conversation Class "speed friended." We all took three minutes to get to know each other. Wendy was absent. Her daughter is a cheerleader for the middle school and it was the football opening game.

Thursday English classes are rolling along. As your class settles down, please be patient with your progress. You may be challenged with your English on some days. Other days may seem a bit easier. As you become accustomed to your teacher and her vocabulary and accent, you will find that classes will become easier.

Tuesday, September 16
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30 in room 100: Let's read and talk about John 1:15-28 and find out who Jesus is according to John the Baptist.

International Friends, 10:30-???: Let's go apple picking.
Meet us at 10:30 to carpool or caravan to Stuckey Farm  to pick apples...or meet us there around 11:00.
19975 Hamilton Boone County Rd., Sheridan, IN

Wednesday, September 17
Conversation, 4:30-6:00, in the upstairs classrooms: Bring in your Current newspaper. Choose an interesting article to talk about.

Thursday, September 18
English Classes, 9:30-12:00, in the upstairs classrooms: classes continue.

get out on the town:go out and enjoy social life in town
biographies: stories of someone's life
covered a lot of ground: slang;
fall into: are included in
blasphemies: words that disrespect, insult or show irreverence to God
opening game: first game of the season
rolling along: proceeding, moving forward
carpool: ride together in a car
caravan: drive in separate vehicles, but as a group
meet us there around: an approximate time

September 5, 2014 Update

Hello, Friends.

It is so good to be back at the church and seeing everyone once again. I am so happy catch up with all of you and to make new friends.

This week on Tuesday we met for Bible Study. We read in Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and English. John 1:1-18 is an introduction to who Jesus is and why He came into the world. He describes who Jesus is by using the words: Light and Word. This may seem unusual and complicated, but look at Genesis 1:1-5 where God creates the world by speaking. The first thing He creates is light and darkness. Yaying pointed out that in science, light is something and darkness is nothing; light always overcomes darkness. John is telling us that Jesus is the one who brings us understanding and helps us to see and overcomes our nothingness. We had some great discussions about how lost we are in the dark and how the smallest bit of light seems very bright when we are in complete darkness. John tells us in verse 17 that it doesn't matter where a person comes from, anyone that believes Jesus and trusts Him becomes a "child of God" through God's will and not by anything anyone does.

At our International Friends meeting we made beautiful boxes out of water bottles. Ok, so they didn't necessarily turn out all that great, but they have so much potential for gifts and for lunch boxes. You probably need a better instructor. Here are the instructions and a beautiful example.

Welcome to our English Classes. What a great turnout. I heard a lot of laughing in the classes, so I could tell there was learning going on (because our teachers only tell jokes in English). I am looking forward to a great year with all of you!

See you next week!

Carolyn

International Bible Study, Tuesday, September 9, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 1:15-34.
Join us as we read how Jesus is baptized.

International Friends, Tuesday, September 9, 10:30-12:00: Let's talk about unsavory language.
Come and talk about words and gestures that are impolite, rude, or just plain swearing. Why do we need to know these things? What should we do about it when we hear it? Do any of our home language words sound like English swear words (of course they do!) and then what do we do about that?

Conversation, Wednesday September 10, 4:30-6:00
Join Wendy start our first afternoon of conversation.

English Classes, Thursday, September 11, 9:30-11:00
This week we will begin classes in your classroom. I will post class lists on the doors (just in case you forgot). We are off to a great start!

Chinese Brush Painting, Saturday, September 13, 2:30-4:40
Join us as we paint koi.

Vocabulary and Punctuation
once again: one more time
Light, Word, He: in the tradition of the Bible, all words that are used to name God are capitalized out of respect and to show it is a name and not a description.
world: the earth; not to be confused with word
didn't necessarily turn out all that great: they could have been nicer, but they are good.
potential: having the qualities likely for something to happen in the future, showing promise
instructor and instructions: an instructor is a teacher; instructions are directions or steps for doing something
turnout: number of people participating in something; a great turnout means many people (not to be confused with turn out, which means to evict or put outside...everyone stayed).
going on: happening
unsavory language: morally offensive words and speech

August 31 Update

Hello, Friends.

I am so excited to begin this blog and to begin our SEVENTH year of International Friends meetings and classes. We are off to a great start! Be sure to read all of this note: we are making some changes in how we will be communicating this year. We are moving forward using technology and have created a blog and a Facebook page for easier communication. You don't have to search through your e-mails, but can find your answers directly on these pages.

Carolyn

At our Tuesday, International Friends meeting we talked about where to go and what to do this year. Somehow or another we got off on the many ways we use the word "deal." Here are just a few examples:

• It's a deal. (I agree.)
• It's a big deal. (it's important)
• What's the deal? (What's happening?)
• What's the big deal? (Why are you upset?)
• I got a deal. (I got a great bargain.)
• I have a deal for you. (I have a bargain for you.)
• It's not a big deal. (It doesn't matter. No worries.)
• Big deal! (Oh wow! That was less than I expected)

Important Business

Please register if you are participating in any of our classes or meetings this year (even if you are staff):

https://carmellutheran.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=126

Please follow our Facebook page for quick notes about our calendar schedule: 

https://www.facebook.com/indyinternationalfriends

Please add your e-mail to our Indy International Friends blog page. This is taking the place of our regular e-mails (my mailbox kept crashing and blogs are so much prettier). You will receive the update notice via e-mail and then you can view the blog. How cool is that! Then I can add pictures, and calendars and so much more:

indyinternationalfriends.blogspot.com

Tuesday, International Bible Study: 9:00-10:30
We talked briefly about the structure of the Bible and chose to begin reading the book of John in the New Testament. Join us as we begin with John chapter 1.

Tuesday, International Friends: 10:30-12:00
We got acquainted a little bit and started to put together our calendar for the year. Bring a plastic water bottle and scissors on Tuesday, September 2. We are going to make small boxes and then brainstorm uses for them. This is upcycling at its best!

Thursday, English Classes: 9:30-12:00
We had registration and screening on Thursday, August 28. Classes begin September 4 at 9:30. We will begin in the large classroom opposite the welcome desk by door 4 (look for the sign). You will get your class assignments then. 

Vocabulary
SEVENTH: Why is this underlined and italicized and in all caps? To draw your attention to it!
somehow or another: one way or another; this is slang for saying that I don't really know how this conversation got started (or its too long a story to tell here, as much as I love to tell stories!)
got off on: left one subject for another
brainstorm: a group discussion to produce ideas
upcycling: create something useful from something you would usually throw away
at its best: the ultimate example

Punctuation: its versus it's
its is the possessive form of it: The bird lost some of its feathers.

it's is the contraction of it and is: It's a deal!

And if you put it all together: Its batteries are low, that's why it's light keeps blinking.