Holiday Cooking and Next Week!

Hello, Friends.

Some quick notes (and last minute recipes) from this week's meetings. I hope you have a safe and happy holiday week and weekend as we kick off this glorious season!

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, room 100.
The International Friends Bible Study group took a look at Psalm 40 this week. David's psalm begins with five verses that praise the Lord for His past mercies and for blessings too numerous to count. As we approach the Thanksgiving weekend, we talked not only about what we are thankful for, but to Whom we give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy.

Verses 6-8 are a commitment to God's will: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced (or opened?), burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come - it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.' " We had a great discussion about whose commitment these verses describe. King David's? Jesus Christ's? Ours? All of the above??? Certainly Jesus fulfilled this commitment perfectly, with His death and resurrection providing the final sacrifice for sin, the only one needed.

The closing verses are a prayer for God's help. We laughed about how David asked God to shame the people who say to him, "Aha! Aha!" It's not so different from all the people digging up dirt and pointing fingers at wrongdoers in today's news! They seem to take great pleasure in pointing out other people's shortcomings. Such a meaningful psalm for us to study!~Jan Heimann

November 28: Join us as we begin the first eight verses of Psalm 119.

wrongdoer: one who transgresses moral laws
digging up dirt: finding out bad things about someone
pointing fingers: assigning blame or responsibility
shortcoming: a failure, defect, or deficiency in conduct, condition, thought, ability, etc.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, room 100.
We explored pumpkin pies and added spices to taste. Instead of being heavy on cinnamon, we cut back on the specified amount substituted cloves for nutmeg (see below). Everyone agreed that this was a delightful combination. We used this classic and foolproof (as I demonstrated) pie crust recipe from following food processor instructions. I plan to explore their Easy Oil Pastry. for this recipe you don't need a rolling pin and you can whip it up in a pinch!

Tuesday, November 28: Paper Angel Making with Mehrin.
Join us as we make adorable paper angels for seasonal decorations. Bring scissors, tape and your glue gun (if you have one). Here is a link 

Easy Oil Pastry
1 1/4 all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
3 Tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar and salt. Add oil and milk all at once to flour mixture. Stir lightly with a fork. Form into a ball. Press dough firmly into bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Fill and bake as directed.

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (or a 12 oz can evaporated milk and ½ C sugar)

2 eggs slightly beaten

2 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice  (1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves)

½ tsp salt

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (this is a simple recipe from Better Homes and Garden)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all the filling ingredients and pour them into the pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting. Serve with whipped cream.

pursue: usually chase, but in this case we are engaging in an action or course (you pursue English).
quick access: able to get to easily and quickly
to taste: changing the seasoning of a recipe to match how you prefer something to be cooked
heavy on: a lot of, more than necessary
foolproof: not able to be ruined easily
whip it up in a pinch: make quickly when you are short on time

You and your kin are invited to...

The International Friends

Holiday Party

Tuesday, December 12, 10:30-12:00

CLC, room 100

Join in the fun:
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Bring a dish to share
Wear your Holiday Dazzle

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Friends,

This coming week we will celebrate Thanksgiving. This is a good time to take stock of everything you are thankful for. For me, I am thankful for the opportunity to make so many friends from so many places. I am thankful to Cornerstone Church for giving us to meet so many days during the year and for providing childcare so that we can enjoy each other's company and know that our children have a chance to also meet and make friends. I am thankful to the many volunteer teachers and staff that dedicate their time to help us grow to be comfortable and welcome here in beautiful Indiana. I am thankful for my family, my home and my country. I hope that you have a great feast and pray that God blesses you with all that you need to enjoy life here.

There are so many wonderful things to enjoy during this season including bazaars,  Christmas light shows, holiday shows and more. Here is a sample but be sure to check our pages of Things to Do for more. 


Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) marks the official start of the Christmas holiday season. 
The Circle of Lights free, big event on 6:00-8:00, November 24 on Monument Circle lights are lit.
The Brickyard has a great drive on the track and road course. See the webpage for tickets and times.
Carmel Criskindlmarkt is a new event where you can eat, shop and enjoy music at traditional German style winter fest through December 24.
Christmas at the Zoo promises a wonderful evening outing that includes lights and fun with all the animals.
The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel has a great line-up of holiday shows.
Holidays at Connor Prairie are always fun with gingerbread villages and candlelight tours.
Hillbert Circle Yuletide Celebration is a traditional variety show.
And...don't miss your school plays, musicals and concerts for the holidays.


International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, room 100.
Psalm 18 is a psalm David sang to the Lord in thanksgiving for deliverance from his enemies. This song is also recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 22 (almost word for word!), as part of the story of David's life. We discussed some of the words David used to describe God: rock, fortress, shield, horn of salvation. These images of strength and protection from God are very comforting to us, and we thank Him for His protection.

We also continued our study of the fourth chapter of Matthew, including how Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. We learned that 40 is a number that signifies testing, with other examples in the Bible including the people of Israel wandering in the desert for 40 years, Moses staying on the mountain for 40 days and nights, and Elijah traveling for 40 days and nights as he fled from Queen Jezebel's death threats.
We found out from class members that in many Asian cultures the number four is a scary number signifying death. People avoid using it, much like the western culture avoids the number 13.

November 21: Join us as we study Psalm 40 and continue reading Matthew 4 about the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus.

November 12: Join us in the chapel at CLC to sing carols and read the Christmas story

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, room 100.
Sylvia hosted a wonderful discussion about etiquette. We had a fun time comparing how each country views social occasions as well as casual and formal eating events. We compared how even the Western cultures approach a place setting and even the holding of a knife and fork and how Eastern cultures view holding plates and bowls while eating. 

The definitive guide for Western formal manners is Emily Post. Emily Post online is a great source for formal and casual interactions. At the site they deal with current concerns including on-line interactions and behavior. Demonstrating good manners in all things demonstrates that you have self esteem and that you care for the feelings of others. Don't get intimidated by new customs and manners: you can watch and learn.

This also leads to social debate. I know that many of you would like to engage in civilized discussion about religion, politics and child rearing (all of which many people will advise you not to do around the Thanksgiving table or at holiday parties). I recently attended a very good talk by Lee Hamilton and Dick Lugar (Indiana statesmen) who talked about how to engage and disagree and still leave the table in both formal and informal settings without losing friends or making enemies. Many people like to end by saying that we will, "agree to disagree." This statement means that the discussion is over, but it is a term that often shuts the door for any further conversation on touchy matters. This statement can also end a friendship or potential friendship because it is seen as condescending and closing the door to any conversation (I am right, you are not; we will never agree and further conversation with you is a waste of my time) A better way to diffuse a heated conversation is to say, "That is a a very interesting perspective and I will have to consider this further." You can easily change the subject to a neutral point, "This turkey is really delicious!" Lee Hamilton directed that George Washington wrote 110 Rules of Civility when he was 16 years old. You can go to this Mount Vernon link and vote for your favorite.

November 21: Join us as we wrap up the autumn season with conversation and I am available to answer questions.
November 28: Sukiyaki with Fukuko and Harumi
December 5: Let's bake Christmas cookies
December 12: Our annual holiday party!
December 19: Wrap up the end of the year.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, room 209.
We always have interesting 

English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, upstairs classrooms
I had a wonderful time visiting all of your classes this week. There was so much to learn from each class.:

We talked about sitting in and having a sit in in our writing class when we welcomed Christina (our latest staff member and student teacher). 

Level 2 created a great acrostic poem that they shared with me:
Turkey dinner
Hot food
All together
Nice party
Kitchen kindness
Sharing people

Conversation class had private lessons! Where was everyone...but we aren't complaining we just missed you.

Level 1 worked on flash cards to expand vocabulary. What a great way to get all of your senses involved in memorizing!

November 23: Happy Thanksgiving! No classes. Enjoy your break and see you November 30.


Black Friday: the big shopping day the Friday after Thanksgiving
lit: when light are turned on or candles are lighted
variety show: a show with singing, dancing, comedy and skits, magic, etc.
word for word: verbatim; being in or following the exact words
horn of salvation: strong Savior
to fast: to abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance
to signify: to be a symbol of; to be an indication of
view: often this means to look at something, but in this case it means an opinion
definitive: comprehensive or final
self esteem: your personal worth
intimidated: overwhelmed
engage in civilized discussion: chat about sensitive matters without arguing
statesman: someone who works politically with the best interests of the country at heart rather than working for a party or for power
touchy matters: sensitive ideas
condescending: attitude superiority; being better that others
closing the door: stopping any further discussion
diffuse: make something threatening safer; in this case you can save a friendship
heated conversation: argument

civility: formal politeness in action and speaking

Dear Friends,

We are having technical difficulties. Please be patient as I sort these things out with our provider.

Thank you,
Carolyn

Technical difficulties: problems related with our technological equipment and applications
sort these thing out: find out what is wrong
provider: the organization that performs a service

November

Hello, Friends.

This week was a week of highs and lows in the weather. We had a few cold days with flakes of snow and sleet followed by wonderful, crisp weather for Trick or Treating on Halloween followed by some warm and rainy days that were almost like spring. This is fall in Indiana. Gradually, we will see colder and colder weather until we have a whole week of cold and snow. 

Daylight savings ends on Sunday, November 5. This weekend we "fall back." Be prepared to get an extra hour of sleep. If you have clocks in your home that you set manually (like on your stove or microwave), don't forget to set the time back an hour when you go to bed on Saturday.

We have an exciting week ahead of us at International Friends. We have two dinners as well as a great day of English practice and learning. I hope you can join us!

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, room 100.
Our two readings this week, Psalm 1 and Matthew 4, both look at the choice of good versus evil. In Psalm 1 we are told that it is wise to avoid walking with the wicked. We discussed how easily we can be tempted by others to do bad things. It's not just teenagers who can easily be influenced by peer pressure or cultural norms! We have all walked that path at times. The wiser choice is to walk the path of righteousness in faith, which leads to blessings from God and His protection.

Matthew 4 begins with the story of Jesus being tempted by Satan. Talk about a classic example of good vs. evil! After His baptism, Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days, where He fasted and prayed and focused on preparing for His public ministry. Because of our lively discussion, we only touched on the first of Satan's three temptations. We have so much more to learn from this story! We will continue to look at Jesus's response to each of these temptations and how He combated Satan.

November 7: Please join us as we go deeper into this story. We will also be reading Psalm 133.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, room 100.
We had a great time carving pumpkins into Jack o Lanterns. Any and all pumpkins are edible, but not all of them are the best for eating. If  you are going to make a pie or use a pumpkin for baking, choose the smaller pie pumpkin. The giant pumpkins used for carving are more decorative. There is little flesh and it is usually watery and tasteless. That being said, these bigger pumpkins often have great seeds for eating (they are bigger and there are more of them). These pumpkins also make great vessels for cooking and serving chilis and stews. Shrimp in a Pumpkin is a Brazilian dish that is easy to put together and is a spectacular to serve. The best part is that you don't have to wash a pot when you are finished.

November 7: Join us as we feast. Bring your favorite feasting dish (and the recipe for our recipe book). Sylvia will have a formal place setting for you to learn more about western table settings and table manners.

November 14: Sylvia will lead a discussion about dining customs both in the US and in your home countries. What is the usual and polite practices for eating? What is taboo?

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, room 101B for this week only. 
We spent a little time talking about favorite autumn seasonal food or autumn food specialty from your home country.  A food that you eat primarily at harvest time. John shared his delicious Apple Crisp recipe (along with a taste). 

November 8: We will feast on turkey and stuffing and your favorite dish. We are meeting in room 101B. Bring your family and a dish to share.

In the month of November, the United States celebrates Veterans Day.  This Federal and State holiday (businesses and schools usually do not have this as a day off) is always on November 11 and was established in 1919 by President Wilson in recognition of the Armistice which was signed by the Allied and Axis powers which ended World War I and to remember those service men who died in that war.  In 1954 by an Act of Congress and signed by President Eisenhower changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day to remember all of the veterans who served in the armed forces.

Be prepared to share how your home country recognizes the efforts and service of the men and women who serve or have served in the military.  

English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-12:00, upstairs classrooms.
Thank you for allowing me a moment to promote our Thanksgiving feast. It seems like its a little premature for talking about Thanksgiving, but time is running out! We only have two more weeks to prepare for this favorite American holiday. 

November 9: Join us as we continue to study and practice English together.


in the weather: using "in" may be confusing here because "in" usually implies something that is enclosed by something else. In this case, "in" implies a change in the condition of the weather.
crisp weather: refreshing and cold weather
manually: by hand, not automatically or electronically (your cell phones will automatically change to the correct time)
dinner: a main and special meal after noon. We have breakfast, lunch and supper as usual meals. Brunch is a meal that combines both breakfast and lunch and usually runs later in the morning until early in the afternoon. 

versus: against, as opposed to, in contrast with

combated: fought with; struggled against to reduce or eliminate

edible: fit for human consumption; fit for eating

put together: prepare

taboo: practices that are not permitted socially or religiously; forbidden

a little: not much
primarily: mainly
Federal and State holiday: Federal and state offices are closed for the day; don't plan to get official business done or 
premature: too early; something that happens before its time to happen

Let’s Feast!

You're invited to our Thanksgiving Feast

Tuesday, November 7 at CLC in room 100.

Join at 10:30 and learn to prepare:

• roast turkey with stuffing and gravy
• cranberry sauce
• green bean casserole

Bring your favorite feasting dish to share.