Hello, Friends.
We sprang forward to an inch or so of snow! What a beautiful surprise! Don't be disheartened. Spring snows are common in the midwest. They are short lived and let the water slowly absorb into the soil giving all the spring flower roots and seeds a nice cold drink rather than a drenching.
This upcoming week is a busy one for people who celebrate: March 14 is Pi Day and March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. If you have children in school, you may have learned a little about these dates.
Pi Day is a punny joke about the date: March is the third month and the 14th day=3.14. In elementary school they celebrate by bringing in circle snacks and measuring them and using Pi. Read more about the fascinating history of the calculation of this amazing and useful number!
March 17 is St. Patrick's Day when we celebrate being Irish. Everyone is Irish on St. Paddy's Day! Corned beef and cabbage (a boiled dinner with roots in the United States) is the traditional fare along with green beer. Indianapolis with Kids has plenty of ideas. Westfield Shamrock Drop is back! Head to the park for fun: 6-8:00 PM in the Grand Junction Plaza. Find me there!
Places and Dates
Easter is coming! People new to the area are asking where to go to observe Easter and Holy Week. If you are not Christian, you are more than welcome to come to a service and see and hear. There is
Cornerstone Lutheran Church has four sites with family activities and services. Meet Carolyn after any of the Carmel traditional services on Easter! Cornerstone Lutheran Church Easter for Family and Services.
English and AI Help
AI or Artificial Intelligence tools can help you with your English practice and boost your skills. You can use it to anticipate possible conversations to practice. Be careful that you don't spend your time generating and not using! Also, be aware that these helps are not always accurate. AI is a tool and does not replace real, human interactions. Check the work and get out there and make friends.
Iphone Close Caption: Settings> Accessibility> Live Captions. Toggle on (or off to stop it). When the screen opens up, turn on the microphone. You can "see" the conversation.
Grammarly: a free online to look at your writing and correct your English
ChatGpt: sign up to use this resource to boost your English skills. This video tells you more.
COVID Update
It has been a very long while since International Friends posted about COVID. In the United States, we are becoming more relaxed about the virus and it has become much less deadly than in the beginning. Numbers are down. Disease duration is about five days total. Now eyes are turning to discover more about the disease and understanding its origins. Read more about what the U.S. legislative arm of government is doing: House Votes to Declassify Info about origins of COVID 19. The U.S. government is making public the research and intelligence findings.
U. S. Constitution Article 1 Section 3
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Meeting and Class Notes
American Sign Language: Tuesday, 5:00-6:00 PM, Zoom
We spent the day in conversation. We are discovering that our vocabulary bank is growing. We need to practice stringing our words together to make meaningful sentences in conversation.
March 21: Tell about a vacation. Be sure to include who, what, when, where, why, and how. Be prepared to ask and answer questions.
American English Class: Thursday, 9:00-11:00 AM, Zoom
We had a fun discussion about conversational taboos in our home countries. In the United States the rule of thumb is to avoid the topics of religion, politics, and money. Our Korean Friends added soccer to that list (and our South American Friends agreed!). Other topics: bad dreams and women's ages. In some countries people welcome politics and religion in polite conversation.
Send writing samples to indyintlfriends2@gmail.com at any time--just for fun or if you want particular feedback on an assignment. We would love to collect some writing samples to share in an International Friends Stories series.
March 14 (Pi Day):
Bring five more "new" words. These can be any words--words you heard, read, looked up, used to know, want to know, need to know. Tell us why you chose these words. Bonus points if you write a sentence for each word.
Share what brings you "peace." Think about who, what, when, where, why, and how. You could show us a picture or photograph.
Practice active listening or echo (repeat exactly without embellishment) others' word this week. Share your observations. Try using the Love Language tactics to show caring and help people feel content.
American Accent Training: Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 AM, Zoom
Kid's Conversation: Friday, 5:30-6:00 PM, Zoom
We met and talked about our plans for the weekend. We talked about the song from Disney: Supercalifragilisticexpilidocias. Talk about a mouthful! Our Friend sang this song in Japanese at his end of the year school choir concert.
If you are looking for a great read, checkout Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers.
a good or great read: a book that is recommended
anticipate: look forward to something
boost: lift, raise
embellishment: enhance or add to
eyes are turning: to gain attention
fare: menu item or food
intelligence: information concerning an enemy or possible eneny
making public: announce or disseminate (spread or broadcast) information, usually this is sensitive or can be controversial
punny: a funny pun or play on words
roots: orgin
stringing words together: communicating in a meaningful way
❤👍
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