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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.
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 chatted about the week. Everyone had schoolwide tests. The Carmel Schools webpage calls these kinds of tests "assessments". Click here to see practice questions and more details on how a school in America communicates about these kinds of tests.
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.
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