October at International Friends

Hello Friends,

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

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

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

International Friends at the Glimpses: Best Practices Conference

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

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

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

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

American English and Culture

In the United States titles are used to show respect. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Classes and Meetings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words and Phrases

clergy: formal leaders in an established religion

discomfited: made to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed

in lieu: instead, as a trade

last names: surname, family name

on the heels: immediately following

stands for: represents

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