Hello April! No Fooling!

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Hello, Friends.

March is not going out like a lamb here in Indiana. While we had some beautiful weather this past week, we had a line of storms blow through along with dropping temperatures. Do not put away your winter coats, yet. 

April Fool and More

April is national poetry month.

The first week is national library week (to the Carmel Clay Library and stuff a bag full books for only $10) Friday, April 4, 9-5:00 and Saturday, April 5, 9-4:00.

April 1: April Fool's Day play practical jokes on your friends and family just for kicks

April 12: Passover begins

April 13: Palm Sunday (and the beginning of Holy Week)

April 17: Maundy Thursday

April 18: Good Friday

April 20: Easter

April 22: Earth Day

April 25: Arbor Day (plant a tree)

And there are many, many more days to celebrate! Check out the Holiday Insight page for April and enjoy the month known best for spring showers

American English

Collocation or words that sound natural and are used together smooth out your conversation and written language. There are dictionaries of these word groupings and using them are key to sounding fluent and being understood. Grammar Monster is a good source to think about these word groups. To be clear, collocation differs from slang or idioms and are common language. Collocation is not to be confused with colloquialisms which are common saying in a particular area (like calling all soft drinks (a collocation) a Coke (a colloquialism) in the South). Do not get too hung up on this, just be aware. Grammar Monster has a nice discussion with examples.

American Culture

Spring break has become an important part of American life. In the recent generations, the tradition of spring break has broken out from colleges to kids in elementary through high school. What used to be just a couple of days around Easter has blown into a week-long break. In the Midwest, families flood the airports or hit the road looking for beaches or spring skiing or anything just to get out of town. Staycations became popular. Instead of bugging out, some families stay in town and take advantage of special deals and events. For some college kids, spring break does not mean a party get away with friends, but a chance to go home or visit family and do a lot of sleeping and eating! 

International Friends classes are holding with this tradition and are taking a week long break (since most of our friends won't be able to come to class anyway!).

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

International Friends American English and Culture classes continue into the spring. We are wrapping up our study of individual professional language with an adaptation of the "I'm From.." poem. You can try it out on our Handouts page (International Friends: 2024-2025 Notes and Handouts). These types of exercises help us to express our lives and skills beyond dry facts. From here we are going to turn outward with how we interact in the workplace (which can include just being out and about) in the United States. We are going to view a Linked in Learning course on civility as a springboard for our conversations. These short video lessons have discuss civility and creating a personal brand.

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

Genesis 49 is another genealogy chapter, and this time it is in the context of blessings. Genesis 50 wraps up Jacob's life. The death of Jacob is touching. Joseph's brothers continue to worry that Joseph will want revenge, but this is the farthest thing from his mind, and he reassures them. 

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. 

This assurance is the philosophy of the believers of the Creator God. While life is full of pain and disappointment, God takes imperfection and malice and uses it (and us) for good. Pharoah continues to show respect to Joseph and his family. Genesis ends with Joseph's death. He asks to be returned to be buried with his family and not to stay in Egypt.

March 31: We begin Exodus. The Israelites are slaves in Egypt. This book is a perfect read for the Lenten season as it mirrors the 40 days of search, anticipation, and ultimately freedom. We will parallel our Exodus study with the passion of Jesus found in the Gospels.

American English and Culture

We looked at ourselves and the words and phrases we need to express ourselves, we looked at our career and professions and the words and phrases we need to express our work and experience. We are moving into looking at how to communicate outside of ourselves and look at other people and how to communicate. To begin, we are using a LinkedIn Learning video class on Civil Language.

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

We had some great conversations and talked about civility. We revisited the Linked In Learning modules and looked at an internal communication from IU Health that helps smooth the day for patients and people working in the IU Health system. 

Manage up is one phrase we talked about. Basically, this is when someone communicates to people around them to ensure the best outcome. Here are some word pairs about conversation. What are the differences.

• Speak up:
• Speak out:
• Speak out of turn:
• Speak to:
• Talk up: 
• Talk down:
• Talk about: 
• Talking out of turn: 
• Talk to: 

March 27: Complete your professional I'm From.... and email it to Carolyn. We will watch the next Civil Language Lessons.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 102

After watching the Linked In Learning on personal brand, we brainstormed admirable attributes (see the boards on the Notes and Handouts. We read our professional I'm From... Creative and insightful. These continue to delight and help us to grow.

April 3: We will watch the next Civil Language Lessons and develop our word banks and expressions.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 6:00-6:30 PM EST, private Zoom

We took turns telling about ourselves for three minutes. Everyone did a great job talking that long and telling each other about how we like to spend our time. 

April 4: How much do you remember about our friends from last week? Let's reverse the process. Ask questions about each other's life and likes.

Words and Phrases

broken out: expand 

bugging out: leaving quickly with just the essentials

flood: overwhelm

get out of town: leave from where you usually live

hit the road: drive somewhere

spend time: what we choose to do

March 22

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Hello, Friends.

Thursday was the Spring Equinox: we have equal daylight and dark. Of course, it immediately snowed. That is spring weather. The beauty of it is that it is not at all reliable. Don't forget to send a coat to school with your kids and keep an umbrella in the car.

People are thinking about spring and

• April 7-April 11, 2025 Spring Break
• May 9, 2024 Last day of classes
• May 8, 2024 Last day of class is an Old Fashioned All American Pizza Party
• May 15, 2024: iWi final luncheon (included in your tuition)
• June, July, and August we will meet once a month just to keep in touch on Zoom and/or in person.
• September we are back in class! Join us beginning the week of September 2.

Where to Go and What to Do:

Indiana Travel Guides give you so many great ideas for fun in Indiana. Check them out!

American English

Prepositions are problematic because how we use them can differ across languages and cultures. To is one example that we have drilled on in class and in these updates. BUT, there are many, many more.

• A full list of prepositions (no singing required) from The Free Dictionary is a great place to review and add to your list of prepositions.
• The List of Prepositions from Grammar Monster has the Top 10 Prepositions and the 130 Most Common Prepositions from Grammar Monster 
• Preposition by the Bazillion is a nice way to review the many words in context.
• The classic Preposition song to the tune of Yankee Doodle lists most common prepositions in isolation.
• Arnell discusses prepositions. Her pacing is slow and clipped. She strongly enunciates with significant punctuation pauses (while this may help you learn, it is not a confident manner of speaking American English).

Compare and contrast your home language with English.

• Learn Entry has a List of Prepositions in Different Languages that is stunning in its scope and uses the rationale of common vocabulary to help you move forward. This site begins with English, and the "reverse" helps to turn translating upside down.

To is one of the most commonly used and misused prepositions. Use this Grammar Monster lesson to improve your understanding for using the word "to" in English.

American Culture

Your friend calls and wants to meet you to share some tea. You join her at the table, and you impatiently say, "Spill the tea, already."

This is not about delicious hot or cold beverages...it is about gossip.

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

International Friends American English and Culture classes continue into the spring. We are wrapping up our study of individual professional language with an adaptation of the "I'm From.." poem. You can try it out on our Handouts page (International Friends: 2024-2025 Notes and Handouts). These types of exercises help us to express our lives and skills beyond dry facts. From here we are going to turn outward with how we interact in the workplace (which can include just being out and about) in the United States. We are going to view a Linked in Learning course on civility as a springboard for our conversations. These short video lessons have discuss civility and creating a personal brand.

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

Genesis 47-Genesis 48 is a relocation story and Jacob passes on the torch to his sons. His blessings are not as expected. Isreal adopts Joseph's sons as his own. He confers his blessing on them in reverse. Joseph tries to correct his father to follow the norm, but Jacob is not influenced. 

March 24: Genesis 49 is another genealogy chapter, and this time it is in the context of blessings. Another great discussion is ahead of us.

American English and Culture

We looked at ourselves and the words and phrases we need to express ourselves, we looked at our career and professions and the words and phrases we need to express our work and experience. We are moving into looking at how to communicate outside of ourselves and look at other people and how to communicate. To begin, we are using a LinkedIn Learning video class on Civil Language.

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

We met and had a great discussion that covered interests and ranges. We watched introduction to the LinkedIn Learning course on civil language and the 

March 27: Complete your professional I'm From.... and email it to Carolyn. We will watch the third Civil Language Lesson on Personal Brand in the LinkedIn Learning.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 102

My apologies! I did not capture our board this week. BUT we did run into some interesting words: 

choir (qwire) concert (con CERT) not consort (con SORT) or spouse which could be a wife or a husband

March 27: Bring your professional "I'm From..." project. We will start by recreating our Civil Language board (what do you remember after a week?) and watch the third Civil Language Lesson on Personal Brand in the LinkedIn Learning.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 6:00-6:30 PM EST, private Zoom

We talked sports. Everyone has their favorite sport they like to play. Team sports are popular with some people, while others prefer solo activities. Everyone has "field day" at their school. The events are different for each school.

March 28: Share three minutes about yourself. Be sure to practice in advance. We want to get to know more about you. And don't let me forget leprechaun stories.

Words and Phrases

capture: catch and save or retain

stunning: amazing

Middle of March and Maddness

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Hello, Friends.

March is a wild month. The winds blow trees awake. Here in Indiana, spring is blasting! This week we saw crocus and daffodils bloom and trees bud. We also saw wintery mix and freezing temperatures. Spring storms are expected and often exciting. 

Wild Weather and AI

The Weather Channel is a great place to learn about local and national weather. The United States has wide range of weather. Here is Copilot AI generated article. The prompt was "an article on severe weather in the United States including the varieties of spring weather as well as defensive action to take". How accurate is AI? Is there enough information generated? Find your words!

**Severe Weather in the United States: Understanding Spring's Fury and Staying Safe**

The United States experiences a wide range of severe weather events, particularly during spring, when the clash of warm and cold air masses creates volatile atmospheric conditions. From tornadoes to thunderstorms, hailstorms, and flash floods, spring weather can be both awe-inspiring and dangerous. Here's a closer look at the varieties of spring weather and the defensive actions you can take to stay safe.

Varieties of Spring Weather

1. Tornadoes: Spring marks the peak of tornado season, especially in regions like Tornado Alley, which spans parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Tornadoes are violent rotating columns of air that can cause widespread destruction.
2. Thunderstorms: These storms are common in spring, bringing heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. Severe thunderstorms can also produce hail and tornadoes.
3. Hailstorms: Hailstones, which can range from pea-sized to as large as baseballs, often accompany severe thunderstorms. They can damage property, vehicles, and crops.
4. Flash Floods: Intense rainfall over a short period can lead to flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas or regions with poor drainage.
5. Temperature Swings: Spring is a transitional season, so rapid changes in temperature are common. Warm, sunny days can quickly give way to cold fronts and storms.

Defensive Actions to Take

1. Stay Informed: Monitor weather forecasts and alerts through reliable sources like the National Weather Service (NWS) or a NOAA Weather Radio. Pay attention to watches (conditions are favorable for severe weather) and warnings (severe weather is imminent or occurring).
2. Identify Safe Spaces: Know the safest areas in your home or workplace. For tornadoes, this is typically a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
3. Prepare an Emergency Kit: Include essentials like water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, and important documents. Don't forget items like blankets and portable phone chargers.
4. Protect Against Flying Debris: During storms, use helmets, pillows, or thick blankets to shield yourself from debris. Stay away from windows and exterior walls.
5. Avoid Floodwaters: Never attempt to walk or drive through flooded areas. Just six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet, and a foot of water can sweep away a vehicle.
6. Have Multiple Alert Systems: Tornado sirens are designed for outdoor warnings, so ensure you have other alert systems like smartphone notifications or weather apps to stay informed indoors.
7. Plan Ahead: Discuss emergency plans with your family or coworkers. Practice drills for tornadoes or other severe weather scenarios to ensure everyone knows what to do.

Spring weather in the United States is as diverse as it is unpredictable. By understanding the risks and taking proactive measures, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of severe weather. Stay vigilant, stay prepared, and stay safe!

I ran this through the word count generator and made this word cloud. What words in the story stand out to you? Do you know all the words?

March Dates and Fun and Foolishness:

The Old Farmer's Almanac is our go to for All American this year. What is the skinny on St. Patrick? Check it out! (and while you are there browse about for gardening-even though it's too early, for the most part).

March Madness is on. This is the tournament for men's basketball. Make your bracket! Don't worry if you know nothing about the teams. You never know who will win! Often the underdog wins the day!

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

International Friends American English and Culture classes continue into the spring. We are wrapping up our study of individual professional language with an adaptation of the "I'm From.." poem. You can try it out on our Handouts page (International Friends: 2024-2025 Notes and Handouts). These types of exercises help us to express our lives and skills beyond dry facts. From here we are going to turn outward with how we interact in the workplace (which can include just being out and about) in the United States. We are going to view a Linked in Learning course on civility as a springboard for our conversations. These short video lessons have discuss civility and creating a personal brand.

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

We could not stop reading this past Monday! The story of family reunions are always interesting. In this case, Joseph has the chance to play with his brothers who wronged him. We were intrigued by how he decided to handle his brothers as his dreams that tore them apart came true. We read Genesis 44-46. The Israelites are invited by Pharoah to move to Egypt. The settle in Canaan

March 17: We will continue the story with Genesis 47. The famine is raging and the people are running out of money. This story explains how tragedy can lead to enslavement.

American English and Culture

We looked at ourselves and the words and phrases we need to express ourselves, we looked at our career and professions and the words and phrases we need to express our work and experience. We are moving into looking at how to communicate outside of ourselves and look at other people and how to communicate. To begin, we are using a LinkedIn Learning video class on Civil Language.

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

We met and had a great discussion that covered interests and ranges. We watched introduction to the LinkedIn Learning course on civil language. 

March 20: Moving forward! Complete your professional I'm From.... and email it to Carolyn. 

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

We enjoyed corned beef and cabbage and talked about St. Patrick's Day American traditions. 

March 13: Bring your professional "I'm From..." project. We have done work with resumes that tell the facts. This exercise helps tell about the feel of your career work. Remember, a career does not always mean knowledge, skills, and abilities used for pay. 

American English for Kids: Thursday, 6:00-6:30 PM EST, private Zoom

Our Kid's Conversation had a great conversation about catching a leprechaun. They talked about traps and tricks to entice a leprechaun and based on the ability of the traps to catch quail, they extrapolated which traps would be most successful. We are continuing to develop our conversation skills and find that it is hard to keep a conversation going when the pressure is on.

March 7: Tell us how your Leprechaun traps worked and how your tennis matches went.

Words and Phrases

entice: lure

extrapolate: predict an outcome based on known facts and trends

for the most part: primarily; usually

for pay: employed

go to: main or favorite source

how something worked: was something successful

the skinny: a to the point discussion or informational article

when the pressure is on: 

Severe Weather Week and St. Patricks Day

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Hello, Friends.

We sprang forward: at least when you read this it is an hour earlier than when I posted it. Freaky, right? Take a nap after this read to make sure you retain everything here!

Wrap up the week with St. Patrick's Day (March 17). Celebrate like and (American) Irishman with corned beef and cabbage. It's easy! Buy the corned beef and a head of cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions. Here is the classic recipe. Get out and enjoy the music and fun.

Wild Weather

In March, snow makes way for tornadoes. This next week is Severe Weather Preparedness Week. In the Midwest we shift from ice and snow driving to storm safety. Wind and particularly tornados are of concern in the Midwest. Tornados are created by warm air and cold storms. They can be particularly destructive and tend to be specific and may raze a house while not touching the house next door.

In March-October, sirens are tested at 11:00 AM every week. These tests begin this week. If you hear the sirens any other time, be prepared to take shelter. You can register for Hamilton County emergency management texts on RAVE here.

Important words:

• Tornado or storm watch: be alert, there is a potential for bad weather
• Tornado or storm warning: dangerous weather is close, take shelter

Take shelter by moving to the lowest level in your home and a space that doesn't have windows. Make sure you have shoes!

International Women's Day

This is not an official holiday in the U.S., yet women's rights are an important part of American history. Industrialization changed how societies looked at the people available to work. In 1908 women marched in New York for shorter work hours, better pay, and voting rights. Read more about Women's Rights in History. In particular, racial voting rights took precedence over women's voting rights. The women's suffrage movement gained women's right to vote June 4, 1919. Title IX of 1972 prohibits discrimination against women that would exclude them from sports, education and more. This has been in the news a lot lately. 

March Dates and Fun and Foolishness:

The Woods Lectures Series Presents Marine Biologist David Gruber: Project CETI and the Journey to Listen to and Translate Whale-Speak: Thursday, March 20, at 7:30 PM at Schrott Center for the Arts as David Gruber leads the discussion on whale-speak. And you thought translating American English was confusing!

American English and Culture

A resume is a catalogue of a person's knowledge, skills, and experience. People do not care to write resumes because they do not see a reason for it if they are in a comfortable job or if they are taking a break from working for money or just because they seem to be a lot of work. On the other hand, your resume is a reflection of you and your accomplishments and goals. Keeping your resume up to date saves you work. An everything but the kitchen sink approach to a master resume is the way to go. Include ALL jobs and positions whether paid or volunteer. Keep track of who it was for and the dates. The same for education whether formal or informal. The same for work you do to maintain your household. 

How does this help with your American English and Culture? 

• It helps you find the necessary words YOU need (vocabulary).
• It helps you to be able to speak about what you have done or are doing (tense and grammar).
• It gives you a broader perspective of your accomplishments (progress). 
• It is not bragging you are just stating the facts.

There are not "justs", like "I was just a homemaker," or "I was just a painter." 

Your resume helps your writing and communication. Finding just the right words and phrasing to explain your public career. Use your resume to practice writing in American English. Simple and practical statement are key. 

Learning Skills

Flash cards for memorizing discrete information is not always the best way to learn because terms do not become integrated: they are related only to the card (and perhaps the environment where they are studied). Taking notes can also be a crutch. Why? Notes are important because the amount of space in your short-term memory is limited. When you feel the need to write something down, you know you are not pushing new information into your long-term memory. In other words, you don't want to have to remember or learn something right now and you plan learn it later, or since you wrote it down it is saved for future use...(but if it is in a notebook at home or in your car, can you get to it in the store?). Interestingly enough, you can find where the information is saved (in the yellow notebook on page three) but not the actual information.

People who do not take notes are confident that they can remember things later. How can that be? They are focused. They are paying attention. This is not an easy skill, especially in our information age. We can pull out our microcomputers (phone) and find the answer or translate a word. Do they forget? Of course they do, but because they paid attention it did get pushed into their brain. It just is not filed away where it can be easily accessed in a new context. Connections need to be made. Connections can be faulty (i.e. related to a place or situation rather than particular uses). Focus!

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Genesis 42 Joseph is reunited with his brothers when they come to Egypt to buy food. They do not recognize him and he stays incognito and uses a translator to talk to his brothers. There are stipulations...Jacob/Israel weighs in.

March 10: Genesis 44 The brothers meet en total. Now what happens?

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

The Zoom meeting included job search as the topic of discussion. Other topics included specific pronunciation and questions about collective nouns. 

The iWi luncheon contingent enjoyed performances that highlighted and contrasted the customs of the many cultures and ethnicities living in the greater Indy area. Contrary to popular opinion, there are many different cultures represented here.

March 13: We resume our resume discussion. Try the Professional version of the "I'm From" in our handouts. 

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

Business and Organizations 101 was the topic of our discussion. We brainstormed org charts for a business and for a school in the United States (like in Carmel). We talked about the structure of power and control, roles and responsibilities. You can see our chart under Whiteboards in Notes and Handouts.

March 13: Create a brainstorm of your work words and bring them to class. These words and our resumes will give us the basis for our conversations.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 6:00-6:30 PM EST, private Zoom

We gave three facts about our home country for three minutes. Our friends asked three open-ended questions (designed to make the other friend talk more). Yes. Everyone made all the points. Next week the judge will be tougher.

March 7: Prepare to talk three minutes about your country. Be thinking about three open ended questions to find out more from each of your friends. You can only use a question one time.

Words and Phrases

a lot of work: too much trouble to bother with

catalogue: a complete and systemic list

contrary to popular opinion (or belief): the opposite of the statement following

crutch: a temporary support

discrete: separate or unconnected information

freaky: amazing, incredible 

incognito: hidden or anonymous or unknown

integrate: bring parts together to make a whole

just the right: correct, fits the best

key: something that provides access and understanding

luncheon contingent: people who went to a social event that included a sit-down lunch

makes way: moves aside

of concern: something worth attention

on the other hand: alternatively

org charts: organization charts

particular: specific to one instance

retain: remember

right: don't you agree?

sprang: past tense of spring

stipulations: conditions or requirements to an agreement

suffrage: right to vote

up to date: current

weighs in: states an opinion

Welcome March!

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Hello, Friends.

March winds blow whip the branches of the trees. Spring is slipping in. March is said to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. Be ready for wind, rain, snow.

March Dates and Fun and Foolishness:

March 4: Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Feast before observing the "fasts" of Lent. Many Christians give up something they like (sweets, music, etc.) or add something (exercise, saying please and thank you, eating in, reading the Bible daily). This is different from New Year resolutions in that the focus of the act is to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and the great love of God the Father rather than make a wholesale change in your life. These changes are only for Lent.

March 5: Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday begins the Christian season of Lent (40 days before Easter).

March 9: Daylight Savings Time begins. The United States will move the clocks forward one hour. 

There is some debate. Overall, DST is in question: studies show that moving our clocks twice a year is wasteful and unhealthy. So, will we stay on standard time or will we move forward one last time this time (the Sunshine Savings Act)? Here is a great summary about DST and the legislation that has been sitting on the shelf since 2021. For International Friends meetings, we may or may not change the time of our class to accommodate the rest of the world depending on who is participating. For example, our Kid's Conversation class will be meeting 6-6:30 PM DST (from Indiana) but the time stays the same for our kids overseas.

March 17: St. Patrick's Day: Not just a day; a whole month of fun in Hamilton County

March 20: The First Day of Spring. Read more about spring in the Old Farmer's Almanac.

March 30: Ramadan ends.

March is Disabilities Awareness Month. Disabilities can be by CDC as physical or developmental impairments.

Carmel Disabilities Awareness Events

Carmel Clay Public Library: March Disability Awareness Book List. The library will share a list of recommended books to highlight authors with a disability or books with characters with a disability.

Hamilton County Disability Resource Fair, Wednesday, March 26, 6 - 7:30 p.m., Carmel High School

American English and Culture

Colloquialisms are informal expressions that are used in everyday conversations and not in formal writing or academic settings. Here is a good list to know. 

• Hard to swallow
• Kick the bucket
• Stir up a hornet's nest
• Up for grabs
• Knee jerk reaction
• Head over heels
• Elbow grease
• Piece of cake
• Hang in there
• Hit the hay
• By the skin of your teeth
• Driving me up a wall
• Spill the beans
• Cutting corners

Questions in the News

DOGE sent an email to the government workers to list five things they did at work this week. Interesting. What are five things you did this week? The intention of that letter was to provide a "proof of life". As an alternative, thinking about five things you did during the week can help you focus on what you do and how you spend your time. How about listing five things you would rather be doing? Hmmm. Sounds like a warmup to our classes this month!

English is designated as the official language of the United States. This executive order does not change too much except to declare that the lingua franca is officially the status quo. Read the EO for yourself. It encourages people to excel and speak together and opens the door to more American English language learning opportunities. Smart phones already are the go-to tool for bridging the gap between speaking more than 350 languages. Companies and schools and other organizations are not prohibited from provide multilingual services and support but are not required to do so.

Learning Skills

Brainstorming is a great way to make connections and build brainpower. Writing and seeing the words and phrases trigger other words and phrases. Go wild. connections generate ideas and create memories.

This month we are focusing on building our professional vocabulary and history. Finding your words does not have to be difficult. Surf Indeed or Glassdoor or Monster to read job descriptions. Target key words and phrases in the descriptions to hone in on the language of the profession. Play with the words in a brainstorm to create your personal descriptions.

Observe your work. What words and phrases are important or repetitious? These are the ones to begin with, or will you naturally learn them?

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Genesis 41 tells of Joseph's success story. The Pharoah has disturbing dreams, and Joseph is called to interpret them. Joseph comes from the dungeon and first shaves and changes his clothes (14). He then goes to see the Pharoah. In verse 16 Joseph gives God the credit for the interpretation. The dreams are of seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Pharoah puts Joseph in charge of Egypt: (39) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. The story continues with Joseph traveling the country and setting up stores. He marries and has two children. Then the famine comes and the Egyptians are starving, the people go to Pharoah. He sends them to Joseph and tell them to follow his direction. Joseph sells the grain to the Egyptians. Soon all the world comes to buy grain. God gave Pharoah dreams to provide him the foresight to see potential starvation and death. He also provided the means to avert death and disaster through Joseph. God blessed the world through Joseph. God blessed Joseph and turned what looked to be a disaster into blessing after blessing.

March 3: Genesis 42 Joseph is reunited with his brothers. What will happen?

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

The reflection question was what "What was your most challenging job?" We broke into small groups to tell our stories and to ask open ended questions to find out more. Headlines:

• Skills and experience can cross fields and industries and be applicable in many jobs. 
• Volunteering is a great way to gain experience, make connections, try out a job, a field, or an industry.
• Education and certification is necessary in any new country even if someone holds certification in another country. 

We discovered in our discussions that we all have work stories that make us stand out from the crowd. What are your unique work stories?

March 6: We will resume our resume discussion. Email a list of your personal "professional" words to explore in grammar, context, and pronunciation. Send your resume or a list of your knowledge and skills (if you haven't, yet) and we can look at your specific professional (and personal) history. We will continue to talk about references and giving or asking for references (often people do not ask directly or formally for a reference).

We are also meeting at the Women's Day Luncheon to practice social conversation and to network.

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

We started with the word SPORTS and brainstormed as a class. We came up with an extensive list of sports. You can see the board on the Notes and Handouts page. Associated with this brainstorm were asides. 

March 6: Create a brainstorm of your work words and bring them to class. These words and our resumes will give us the basis for our conversations.

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

It is the last day in February. This week we will talk about school. Be ready to use adjectives or descriptive words to help us to really see and feel what is happening during your day.

March 7: Prepare to talk three minutes about your country. Be thinking about three open ended questions to find out more from each of your friends. You can only use a question one time.

Words and Phrases

asides: comments that do not relate directly to the conversation

avert: ward off

bridging the gap: connecting two separate things

give us the basis: provide the foundation

impairments: an attribute or action that makes something weaker.

headlines: key points

go-to: reliable

go wild: be excited and enthusiastic

lingua franca: a common language that is used by people to communicate who natively speak different languages

overseas: not 

prohibited: forbidden by law

repetitious: repeated over and over

stand out from the crowd: have unique features that make

status quo: a present state or condition

trigger: something that causes something else

warmup: action to get conversation going or your blood moving

wholesale change: something that effects a lot of people, places, habits

Whew! February Flew!

 Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

Spring and renewal are in the wings. People are becoming busier as daylight become longer. This short month is almost over. Time flies!

Media Recommendations:

Enjoy My Fair Lady. This musical comedy has British pronunciations and is a fun and bougie take on language and makeovers.

American English and Culture

References play a role in helping a potential employer decide if you are the right person for the job. There are personal and professional references. Character references are people who can vouch for your ethics and reliability. Professional references are people who can vouch for your skills and abilities as they pertain to the job. You may think you don't have references, but that is not likely. 

Do employers call or ask for written references? Yes they do when they need additional confirmation about someone. When applying for a government job, you can be sure your references will be checked as part of the background check.

Learning Skills

This month we are focusing on building our professional vocabulary and history. Finding your words does not have to be difficult. Surf Indeed or Glassdoor or Monster to read job descriptions. Target key words and phrases in the descriptions to hone in on the language of the profession. Play with the words in a brainstorm to create your personal descriptions.

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

We revisited Genesis 38 to talk about Er and Onan being "wicked in the sight of the Lord (verses 7 and 10). and the Lord put him to death." This is the first time where characters are called by name and "the Lord puts them to death" which led us to wonder at the actions of the previous people and our judgement of their behavior versus God's action. We associate God with love, infinite patience, and grace. But in these cases we see that the creator God has limits.

We continued our study with Genesis 39 and Joseph's slavery in Egypt. Joseph ends up at Potipher's. We learn more about his personality and qualities: he is handsome and well built; he is likable, open, and innocent; he is humble. Because of his appearance and qualities, he catches the eye of his master's wife...and while he does nothing wrong, he is jailed (and once again, his coat becomes the tangible evidence). Throughout his time of trial, in the beginning and at the end of this chapter (vs. 6 and 23) Joseph's slaveholder and later the warden both observe that "the Lord was with [Joseph] and gave him success in whatever/everything that he did" and Joseph is given free reign both in Potipher's household and later in the jail. 

Genesis 40 continues the story of Jospeh in jail. Two of his fellow prisoners are officials in the king's (Pharaoh's) household. They had offended the pharaoh and were jailed. While they are in custody, they both dream dreams on the same night. Joseph asks why they are sad, Verse 8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” Joseph's predictions are true. Pharoah judges the men according to the predictions in the dream. Joseph asks them to remember him to Pharoah. The men are brought to Pharoah's birthday celebration: Joseph's predictions come true.

February 17: We continue with Genesis 41 and what happens next in Joseph's saga.

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

A key factor in telling your story or telling other people's stories is having a good grasp of words to describe our work (adjectives). Members took turns describing characteristics of others as well as identifying features of our colleagues. Providing references that are appropriate and specific are often requested. We had a variety of opinions on how, when, and if personal references are contacted either in a formal or informal way. Notes and Handouts has a nice list of job description adjectives.

Interviews are a two-way decision making process. Does anyone exactly match a job description (sometimes these are boilerplate generated by the organization without specific wants/needs/desires), or can someone meet the requirements? There is often leeway in what is written and what can be accommodated because an applicant brings a greater or different level of education or expertise to the table. The interviewer questions the candidate for fitness while the candidate communicates knowledge and skills while assessing whether this position is viable.

February 27: Bring a list of your personal "professional" words to explore in grammar, context, and pronunciation. Send your resume or a list of your knowledge and skills (if you haven't, yet) and we can look at your specific professional (and personal) history. We will continue to talk about references and giving or asking for references (often people do not ask directly or formally for a reference).

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

Our conversations focused around teaching (since that was the profession of the people around the table). We brainstormed teaching words and grouped and regrouped them. This is a great exercise when learning to use words: write words and phrases on separate cards and sort them into categories. See how many different categories you can make for your word/phrases. Notice where the words  practiced using them in sentences. 

February 27: Join us as we continue our discussions. Let's warm up with brainstorms and then move into discussions and conversations about career life from our resumes.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 4:30-5:30 PM, private Zoom

We had a very nice turn out for our meeting. We are extending our meeting time until 5:30 PM EST to accommodate another friend. The hour seemed to work well. We learned more about each other: what sports and movies we like, what video games we play, and what time we go to and come home from school. We were surprised that school is over by 12:00 PM in Brazil We talked about how stories have a beginning, middle, and end. We talked about asking each other questions that begin with who, what, when, where, why, how. These question words help us to communicate all the details.

February 28: It is the last day in February. This week we will talk about school. Be ready to use adjectives or descriptive words to help us to really see and feel what is happening during your day.

Words and Phrases

according to: as reported or stated by someone

adjectives: descriptive words

boilerplate: standard or set pattern

bougie or bougee: short for bourgeois or middle class in French, bougie means someone pretending to be high class and bougee is someone/something who is high class

free rein: independent action, leeway, latitude, without oversight

has limits: runs out of patience, sets boundaries

hone in: narrow down or sharpen focus and alternative is home in

in the wings: a theater term meaning someone is ready to take the stage

revisited: consider or discuss again

surf: go to the internet and search and read 

take the stage: when an actor goes on stage during a play; when someone moves into the limelight or appears in or on the scene

tangible: real, physical

target: look for

time of trial: difficult time

viable: capable of working successfully; a positive outcome

Working on Working

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Hello, Friends.

Our weather here in Indiana is switching up daily. Precipitation predictions are widely irregular and often incorrect. Just when you think spring is peeking up out of the ground, winter reappears. That was the case this weekend. Surprise snow covered the wet and rainy ground with slush. Click here to take a minute to geek out on slush. 

This week will prove to be super cold again, so be sure to take winterization precautions.

American English Tricks and Techniques

Tongue twisters are a fun way to tweak pronunciation practice. Try them with a friend for giggles and grins. Don't worry if they are tough. These are tough for native speakers.

Practice switching between short i and short e. These two can be easily mistaken and mispronounced. Be careful! In American English, these two letters have a different sound than in many other languages. Short e sounds like "eh" and starts in your throat and stops in the back of your mouth. Short "i" has a higher tone and starts and ends mid-mouth.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

There are growly r's in this tongue twister as well as popping p's.

Here's a video.

Here is a fun YouTube Video with a few more.

Learning Skills

This week we practiced and drilled on building our stories and through building our personal narrative, we build our American English language and culture knowledge and skills. See what we have been doing. Incorporate the techniques practiced and demonstrated:

• Brainstorming to build vocabulary and grammar skills.
• Open ended questioning (who, what, when, where, why, how) to build sentence structure.
• Applying nonsense and fun to break self-consciousness and self-criticism and increase mouth muscle memory.
• Writing down on paper to communicate with others and open a dialogue.
• Writing to engage more senses in the process (seeing, physical action, speech, hearing).
• Reading and discussing other people's stories for connection and to expand personal knowledge.

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

As we read we are continuing to discover that The Bible is not a book that is boring or full of self-righteous people and drivel, contrary to so many opinions. Genesis is definitely a page turner.

Genesis 37 introduces us to Joseph: our next big personality. Joseph (Jacob's favorite son) dreams dreams where his brothers and father bow down to him. Being a 17 year old he happily relates the dreams to his family. They are not happy. Read the story! It's a good one. In thinking about this, Joseph aside from being a normal teenage know it all, he is blessed with insight that is contrary to the family order. And, that gets him in trouble with his brothers.

Genesis 38 tells of the direct lineage from Israel to his oldest son, Judah. Judah is not the most ethical of men, and neither are his sons. God's intention is that Tamara (the wife of Judah's oldest son) be the mother that carries Judah's lineage (and ultimately Jesus'). This story takes some strange twists that include many deaths. When you think the people could not get any worse, Judah sleeps with what he thinks is a "temple prostitute" who is really Tamara. Another great read!

February 17: We continue with Genesis 39 and what happens next in Joseph's saga.

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

Our discussion was about our resumes and building them. Gaps in your resume could be problematic, but are there really gaps? While you may not be working for money, you might be having other experiences that are valuable and applicable. For example, relocating to a new country and setting up a household, hiring work to be done in your home, volunteering at school events, participating in English and culture classes.

We mused on using the word "sign" followed by a preposition. Sign can mean approval. 

February 20: Bring a list of your personal "professional" words to explore in grammar, context, and pronunciation. Bring your resume and we can look at your specific professional (and personal) history and have conversations and hear about your life.

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

We had a great start up discussion and then conjugated our sentence. When you hear something interesting, write it down and then work out all the different ways (in time) you can say it. Here is our example: 

• I cannot (can't) help myself. I'm eating the entire pie.
• I could not (couldn't) help myself. I ate the entire pie.
• I could not help myself. I have eaten the entire pie.
• I can't not help myself, I have eaten the entire pie.

For extra points: try the following words to connect the sentences as transition words: and, but, so, for. Then, punctuation comes into play to convey the pauses and emphasis. You can see examples on the white board. 

We brainstormed words and sentences off of the "house" words brainstorm generated by one of our students. See it on the Notes and Handouts. How many words do you know and are on your "house" list? How many connections can you make? How many more words can you generate based on this list? What sentences can you make using these words?

We talked briefly about the career track and the goal statement of one of our students.

A super full and productive evening!

February 20: Join us as we continue our discussions. Let's warm up with brainstorms and then move into discussions and conversations about career life from our resumes.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 4:30-5:00 PM, private Zoom

We enjoyed seeing what kind of Valentines are given out in school. Back in the day we only gave cards to each other and had a small party with games and snacks. These days kids exchange small gifts with their cards! Wow!

February 21: Let's talk about our favorite movies: Jurassic Park (the first one) and How to Train Your Dragon (the first one). If you have the chance, watch each other's favorites this week. Friday we can talk about the movies. Here are some questions to think about.

• Who are the characters?
• What is the best part of the movie?
• What is the big problem?
• Why do you like this movie and the people and animals in it?
• When did you see it for the first time?
• When does this story take place?
• Where did you see it for the first time?
• Where does the story take place?
• How do the characters and people work through problems?
• How many times do you jump when watching (even if you know what is about to happen)?

Words and Phrases

applicable: useful in many situations

aside from: besides

big personality: someone who stands out from other people and has no filter

comes into play: is used or is part

drivel: nonsense

for extra points: do something more for credit

if you have the chance: if you have time or an opportunity

know it all: someone who happily has opinions and knowledge and is happy to tell everyone

lineage: ancestry

page turner: a book that is interesting and engaging

problematic: cause trouble or extra work

saga: story

these days: currently

winterization: precautions 

Growing Professional Stories: Logic and Nonsense

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Hello, Friends.

What an exciting week. We began with the Superbowl and we are ending the week with Valentines' Day. Our classes are all up and running with many interesting topics and conversations. 

In our adult American English and Culture meetings we are working on our professional stories. Resumes need to be submitted so we can move forward with sharing and telling our professional stories as well as having professional conversations. 

In our Kids' American English and Culture we had an afternoon conversation where we practiced speaking nonsense. Nonsense is an important language learning strategy. 

We have been doing a lot of talking about AI and using AI to generate words. The Valentines' Day piece below was generated using the prompt "Valentines' Day fun and more". What do you think? Does AI do a good job? What kinds of edits would make this piece more interesting.

Valentines' Day

Valentine's Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate love and affection with your significant other, friends, or even yourself! Here are some fun ideas to make the day extra special:

Romantic Ideas:

• Dinner Date: Plan a candlelit dinner at home or make reservations at a cozy restaurant.
• Love Notes: Write heartfelt love letters or notes and hide them in places your partner will find throughout the day.
• Stargazing: Set up a romantic evening under the stars with blankets, pillows, and a telescope or binoculars.

Creative Activities:

• DIY Crafts: Make personalized gifts, such as photo albums, scrapbooks, or handmade cards.
• Cooking Together: Try cooking a new recipe together or bake heart-shaped cookies or a cake.
• Couples' Photoshoot: Have a fun photoshoot with themed outfits and props to capture memorable moments.

Fun with Friends:

• Galentine's Day: Celebrate with your friends by hosting a brunch, movie night, or game night.
• Secret Admirer Exchange: Organize a gift exchange with friends where each person gets a surprise gift.
• Adventure Day: Plan a fun outing with friends, such as hiking, visiting a museum, or going to an escape room.

Self-Care and Pampering:

• Spa Day: Treat yourself to a spa day at home with a relaxing bath, face masks, and soothing music.
• Journal Writing: Reflect on your journey and write down things you're grateful for or love about yourself.
• Favorite Activities: Spend the day doing activities you love, such as reading, painting, or watching your favorite shows.

Thoughtful Gestures:

• Acts of Kindness: Spread love by performing random acts of kindness, such as leaving positive notes for strangers or donating to a charity.
• Memory Jar: Create a memory jar by writing down special moments you’ve shared with your loved ones and reading them together.
• Surprise Delivery: Send a surprise delivery of flowers, chocolates, or a thoughtful gift to someone you care about.

Whatever you choose to do, the most important thing is to make it meaningful and enjoyable for yourself and those you care about. Happy Valentine's Day! 💖

American Culture: Names and Naming

How do you fill out forms? What is the norm for names in the United States? Is your name too hard for anyone else?

America is the land of many names. 

Words for categories of names on official documents:

• Last [name], surname, family name
• Maiden [name]: a woman's name from birth (prior to legally changing her name in marriage)
• First [name], given name, first name
• Middle [name], middle initial [MI]
• Previous name or names
• Nickname, alias

And then, on the computer or in cyberspace there are more names:

• User name
• Gamer tag

Entity names are proper nouns identify things that 

• Company name
• Website name
• Product

Often, people from another country assume a different name that they feel will be easier for "Americans" to pronounce and help them fit in the community. This is interesting since American names are not ethnically standard. We come from all over the world and our parents often choose names for their sound or meaning regardless of origin. A current trend is to create a new name by combining other names. 

For those of you that love to geek out on grammar, names are classed as proper nouns (as opposed to common nouns). Proper nouns are always capitalized no matter where they occur in a sentence.

International Friends Meeting Notes

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

We continue with Genesis 34. Once again our study group was surprised by the violence that occurs in the Bible (a book all about the creator God who is the definition of love). While we could understand the need of the Dinah's brothers to exact revenge, we were astonished at how they carried out their attack. 

Yet life goes on in the next chapter. Chapter 35 tells the names of the sons of Jacob and tell of significant deaths. Jacob's beloved Rebeccah dies in childbirth and Isaac dies at 108 years old and Jacob and Esau bury him. In this sentence, we know that the wounds between the brothers are healed. The brothers move away from the lands of their childhood because they are blessed and needed more space to grow. Chapter 36 lists Esau's descendants.

February 3: We continue with Genesis 37 and a beloved Bible story.

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

Telling about our first jobs was our main topic. Two important questions to frame our story telling were:

• What was your first job?
• What did you learn?

The first question leads to a solid, factual answer. The second question begs for reflection and opinion.

We listed some words from our professional life. We put them on a whiteboard to share with each other. We used these words to make conversation. We will continue to play with our professional words over the next weeks.

February 6: Bring a list of your personal "professional" words to explore in grammar, context, and pronunciation. Bring your resume and we can look at your specific professional (and personal) history.

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

Try the 16 Personalities Test and see what descriptive words this tool provides to you. Do you agree with the results? Tests like these can be used to screen prospective employees. They may be part of the onboarding process to give workers and idea about how individuals can work to reduce conflict and be more productive in their teams. These tools can inform you about your strengths, they can be shorthand for others to know how best to work with you. While they are interesting, it is most important to be able to demonstrate your attributes through your work. 

We practiced brainstorming words and noticed how our ideas bounced off one another.

February 13: Celebrate Valentine's Day Eve. Warm up with word lists. Send Carolyn your resume so we can learn your work words and phrases.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 4:30-5:00 PM, private Zoom

We talked nonsense. To prime the pump we read Jabberwocky by Lewis Caroll Be prepared to sound clever, but really not say anything. Make up words, facts, associations that lead nowhere. Groundhog Day is a good example of nonsense talk. This is always fun and sparks our imagination.

When its spring and the air is cold and wet,

The fish fly freely across the I can't think of it.

And the universe doughnut space already ate itself.

Donut world barks candy cane cars on fire.

Chocolate swimming freely up and down in shape.

Monster picking flowers off kelp once upon a time the end.

Creating this was a lot harder than you would think. Blabbering random sounds and associations are tough when you are put on the spot and when you spend all your time trying to be reasonable and logical people.

Let go. Have fun. Roll around in some nonsense and see where it doesn't get you! Freely playing like this is good for your skills. Build your fluency, confidence, and creativity. Sentence structure and pronunciation and cadence are still important. Writing and talking nonsense can be surprisingly valuable for language learning.

February 14: Happy Valentine's Day! Let's talk pink and red and lovingly.

Words and Phrases

assume: adopt

begs for: demands

blabbering: talk foolishly, mindlessly or excessively

bounced off: one thing generates another

descendants: sons and daughters 

ethnically: belonging to a specific group of people

fit in: feel that you belong in a community; blend in

in cyberspace: think water, air, space~you in and are surrounded

let go: give up fear (or negativity), relax

on the computer: think desktop or laptop~you are on top

onboarding: training and processes at the beginning of a job

piece: work

prime the pump: get things started

screen: filter

standard: measured in a similar way.

Welcome February: and six more weeks of Winter!

Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

The shortest month begins with a really long Update. What a busy and interest week we had. What an exciting week is coming. Keep your eyes open for words this week; we will be talking and building brainstorms.

Groundhog Day came and went. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club (established in 1881) provides the most up to date information on Spring. Other areas of the country may rely on their own groundhogs for local predictions. And the result is.....Phil saw his shadow. This means six more weeks of Winter!

Speaking of funky pronunciations: February. We love this guy and his pronunciations: February. Mirriam Webster has the two common American-style pronunciations. How have you heard it?

We keep coming up with new words or ...? Have you been watching the news? MAHA and MAHA Moms trended this week (probably the RFK Jr. confirmation hearings made this mainstream). Make America Healthy Again is the "mom" movement. Parents want their children to be healthy and live quality lives. 

February is Black History Month

February is African American history month. The president first signed this proclamation in 1976 and continues today. Learn more:

Black History Month: the History Channel

Black History Month: the .gov site

15 ways to celebrate Black History Month in Indy: Mirror Indy

If you live in Indy, you have likely seen the Walker Theater. Madam Walker founded and ran a hair care company at the turn of the 20th Century. Her net worth was greater than a million dollars and she was politically and philanthropically active. Read more about the first female self-made millionaire:

Madam C. J. Walker: Biography.com

Madam C. J. Walker: The National Women's History Museum 

February Fun

February 22: Pro Volleyball at the Fishers Event Center! Find out more and buy tickets.

Devour Indy munch away your winter blahs at a new or favorite restaurant. Try a special menu or dish or special just for Devour through February 2.

She L.E.A.D.S. Conference  is an opportunity to attend a conference and learn more about American culture and meet and practice your networking skills. Let Carolyn know if you are interested...Should we get a table?

Things to Do in Hamilton County offers a list of fun and informative things to do locally.

Superbowl Sunday: one of the greatest holidays in the United States. Watch the game. Watch the commercials (companies pay the big bucks for spots). Get together with friends for snacks or meet at a sports bar. CBS Sports is the place to go to learn more.

American Culture

Valuing Cars and Car Maintenance

Cars play an important part of life in the United States. While we may love the idea of mass transit, it is not practical for most of the United States. So, we drive cars. Many people buy used cars. These are offered from dealers or from private owners. 

Car maintenance, insurance, and value all come into play when deciding to buy (or sell) or repair a used car. Kelly Blue Book and Edmonds are two places to find out what a car is worth and worth the repair. A car is totaled when the cost to repair is greater than the value of a car.

Car Inspections. Some states (and countries) require an annual inspection. An official (government required) car inspection includes emissions, breaks, and lights (including break lights and turn signals). These are  required in some states (and countries), but do not guarantee a car that is foolproof. Your car can still break down. Buying a used car has risks and also rewards (it is broken in) but may have maintenance expenses or repairs (After all, someone does not want it any more).  This article from Edmonds details the advantages and disadvantages of a mechanic inspection. Google "used car inspection" for a list of mechanics. You might rely on a friend or family member that is a car fanatic to help you decide on a car that you find on Next Door or with a For Sale sign. Having a mechanic go over your car before a road trip is a good idea to make sure you don't get stranded.

Buying (or Selling) a Used Car. If you are looking at a used car from a private owner, if you can take the car to your mechanic to see if it is in good running order.

Maintenance can include a big-ticket item since many cars survive well past 100,000 miles. One example is that the timing belt needs to be replaced. This means that the radiator is pulled and the water pump is replaced with a new pump (because they tend to go out now; often when your water pump goes out and your mileage is up, your mechanic will advise you to replace your timing belt). This is pricy maintenance, but worth the bucks if you want to keep your car another 100,000 miles.

An older car with a rough interior or exterior that still runs well enough to get around town is called a "beater". People will get an older car with high mileage for the "kids' car".

On another note, a good number of our Friends have Uber and Amazon and Door Dash side hustles. They strongly recommend these opportunities to see neighborhoods and amenities while making a few bucks.

American English: We are on the same page

Sorry is used to apologize. It is also used as an affirmation. When someone gets something wrong, "Oh, sorry. That's right" means "I was wrong. You are right. Forgive me." Other ways we are saying "right" or agreeing:

• 100 percent!
• Absolutely
• Affirmative
• Alright
• Certainly
• Heck yeah
• Of course
• OK
• Right
• Right on
• Sure
• Totally 
• Uh-huh
• Yeah
• Yep
• Yes
• You bet

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Jacob draws close to where Esau lives in Genesis 32. He sends almost half of his flocks as a gift and divides his family (in case they would be attacked). He prays to God and admits his fear of meeting his brother. In this chapter, he wrestles with God all night and dislocates his hip. God blesses Jacob and renames his Israel.

The reunion between Jacob and Esau is a happy one. Jacob stays behind with his family instead of going ahead with his brother to their home in Genesis 33. Jacob buys property and settles apart from his brother. We talked about why this might happen versus him going to their home. The Torah.com gives a great discussion of the event in light of Jewish customs and history as well as insight into Jacob's character. 

God makes promises to Jacob in Genesis 28:13 including that he would give Jacob the ground he is sleeping on. The story continues to disclose that his promises had absolutely nothing to do with his heritage location. God is faithful in keeping promises (God Affirms His Promises to Jacob). These do not always work out the way people expect and even when their imperfections seem to derail, God is trustworthy.

February 3: We continue with Genesis 34. Things get real.

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

We listened to each other and then worked on specific instances developing an understanding of phrasing, cadence, grammar, etc. in a variety of specific situations. We brainstormed several specific instances. Class members can review our work in the Zoom Chat (the whiteboards are there). There is a lot of information, so please take advantage of it.

February 6: Bring a list of your personal "professional" words to explore in grammar, context, and pronunciation. Bring your resume and we can look at your specific professional (and personal) history.

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

We never know who will be able to make it. Tonight was "girls night". We burned through four whiteboards. Sorry. We were so caught up in the moment that I only got a picture of the last one. See our Notes and Handouts page. Scroll down.

February 6: Warm up with conversation. We will go from there. Bring a resume as a backup.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 4:30-5:00 PM, private Zoom

Funny animals are the topic of the week. We watched a YouTube of funny animals and then listened to stories about a fictional animal. Our Friend did a great job telling an extemporaneous story! She included humor, repetition, introductions, and conclusions just to mention a few features.

February 7:  We are talking nonsense. Be prepared to sound clever, but really not say anything. Make up words, facts, associations that lead nowhere. Groundhog Day is a good example of nonsense talk. This is always fun and funny. 

Words and Phrases

amenities: desirable features in a place 

backup: something in reserve

break down: break and need repair

big-ticket item: expensive 

broken in or break in: initial period where equipment begins to function efficiently

burned through: use rapidly 

came and went something that occurs or exists and then disappears quickly

caught up in the moment: focused on what was happening to the exclusion of all other distractions

foolproof: guaranteed

funky: odd, unusual

get around town: make short, local trips

gets: understands

go from there: set a course

go out: break

go over: inspect

in: included in

in light of: gain knowledge or information within a particular context

insight into someone's character: provide understanding about how someone behaves and why they 

make it: able to come

movement: cultural or societal trend

RFK: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Not everyone in America gets their initials as their identifier (or name). JFK is RFK's uncle and was the 35th president. Robert Kennedy (senior) was a senator. Both brothers were assonated. 

sorry: an apology (but not really)

think and act they way they do

this means: as an explanation

[things] get real: accept the truth; face reality

turn of the [20th Century]: at the end of one time frame and beginning of another [late eighteen to early nineteen hundreds]

instances: examples or occurrences

pulled: taken out, removed

side hustles: way to earn extra cash

spots: advertising time in a program

take advantage of: use

trustworthy: reliable

well past [well beyond]: very far

work out: happen

Wrapping Up January

 Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

Have you noticed longer daylight hours here in the Northern Hemisphere? This is good news for the gardeners. It is time to begin thinking about what you will plant in the spring and start your seeds to put out in the spring on a sunny day.

We experienced a day towards the end of last week where the temperature edged up to 40 degrees. This did not melt all the snow, but the warmer weather was a welcome break. It is fun to see people continue to embrace double digit temperatures even if they are below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit) by leaving coats and jackets behind. 

Welcome February <3

February Calendar from the Farmer's Almanac

February 2 is Groundhog Day—the day we find out whether winter will last six more weeks or call it quits early. How did this quirky tradition get started? Find out the meaning of Groundhog Day.

February 9 is the Super Bowl in 2025. Superbowl Sunday is an important festival day. Get together with friends and enjoy 

February 12 is Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. The 16th president of the United States was born in a one-room, 16x18-foot log cabin with a dirt floor.

February 14 is always Valentine’s Day. Heads up, lovebirds! Today, the holiday is celebrated with love, flowers, and chocolate, but how did this holiday get its start? Learn all about Valentine’s Day.

February 15 is Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday. How much do you know about this women’s rights leader?

February 15 is also National Flag of Canada Day!

February 17 brings Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday also known as Washington’s Birthday that is celebrated on the third Monday in February. (George Washington’s actual birthday is February 22!)

February 28 is Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

Devour Indy munch away your winter blahs at a new or favorite restaurant. Try a special menu or dish or special just for Devour through February 2.

She L.E.A.D.S. Conference

Here is another opportunity to attend a conference and learn more about American culture and meet and practice your networking skills. 

American Culture

When Personal Details are Too Much

We are considering our professional stories as well as our life stories. As a practice in the United States, when you apply for a position do not include your age. race, gender, ethnicity, sex, marital status, social status, economic status, etc. unless any of these is important for the job (for example, if you are applying for a particular role in a commercial, play, etc.). This is to avoid bias and preferential treatment. As a candidate, you should be considered for a position based on your ability and experience. At times in American history, hiring quotas have been instituted. This required organizations to have specific numbers of people working based on particular attributes. Ageism, sexism, racism, etc. lawsuits can cut both ways. 

Belly Up to the Bar

Side conversations included the many names for the establishments for the social drinking of alcohol (and usually other kinds of entertainment):  bar, dive bar, saloon, pub, club, night club, comedy club, biker bar, sports bar, speak easy, brew pub, craft brewery, wine bar, piano bar, karaoke bar, rooftop bar, hotel bar, whiskey bar. Find descriptions and explanations at Cuboh. 

Restaurants may have a bar which could mean a buffet where you serve yourself: salad bar, breakfast bar, dessert bar, candy bar, ice cream bar, mimosa bar.

You could choose to eat your meal at the bar. If this is a bar that serves alcohol, then children are usually not welcome. But if this is a family friendly restaurant, then you can grab a bar stool and order from the menu. Service here is informal and direct.

American English Tricks and Techniques

"Going to" and "will" are very similar. They indicate something that is happening in the future. Use going to when something is planned or certain. Use will when what is happening in the future is unplanned or may not happen.

Get going is used to indicate that it is time to leave. "I better get going before the roads become too icy."

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Jacob finally has had enough and wants to take his family and go home. He approaches his father-in-law, Laban who proposes to pay Jacob for his work. Jacob and Laban agree that Jacob can have all the sheep and goats that have markings on them. Eventually, Jacob decides to flee with his family (without telling Laban). What follows is a chase and a confrontation. They come to an agreement. Begin reading Genesis 30: 25. 

January 27: We are continuing Jacob's story with Genesis 32. Jacob returns home and is reunited with his brother Esau. Will there be fireworks and drama?

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

We talked about or resumes as more than just our professional history. 

January 30: Warm up with some word association. This is always a great way to cement ideas, terms, vocabulary. We will continue by building our resumes. Remember, these documents are convenient for many life events!

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

Bring your resume. We are continuing to talk and refine our professional stories. Is there room on your resume for more than education and experience? Do hobbies and volunteer activities add to your story.

Our discussion points are posted on the Notes and Handouts page. Scroll down. We discovered that there are a number of ways to say the same thing.

January 30: Warm up with word association work. We will resume resume and history discussions.

American English for Kids: Thursday, 4:30-5:00 PM, private Zoom

We recapped Valentine's Day school celebrations in Indiana. There is not Valentine's Day in Japan.

January 31: Funny animals are the topic of the week. Bring a YouTube of a funny animal to share. Create your own funny animal and share your story.

Words and Phrase

bias: an opinion that is either for or against an idea, person, etc.

come to [something]: reach a particular point or state

cut both ways: serve both sides of an argument

double digit: numbers with two digits; 10 through 99.

edged up to: move in a certain direction

has had enough: wants something to stop

leave (something) behind: not take something with you

preferential treatment: favoritism in the workplace based on race, gender, etc.

put out: 

start: begin the process of growing a plant

warm up: activities to get people thinking and talking and comfortable