Hello, October. One of our favorite months!

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Hello, Friends.

September is almost finished! Wrap up the month in style with great weekend weather and festivals. We covered so much in our classes and meetings, so visit each one to see what we learned and talked about. Find words to add to your list. Find culture notes. Be ready to talk this next week about them.

If you are registered, you are welcome to join any of our meetings, even if you didn't check the boxes.

 As always, children are welcome! 

Fun, Fieldtrips, and Festivals:

Where did you meet up? We had fun running into each other outside of our regular meetings. It is always nice to see one another! See you on Main in Carmel Sunday, the 28th.

Carmel International Arts Festival: September 27 and 28

American English and Culture

Lyrics can be wholesome or they can be inappropriate. Any music genre can have lyrics that are not acceptable in all situations, but the tune can be catchy and have us tapping our feet or dancing. Be careful what and when you sing along. This can go for any style of music. 

International Friends Meeting Notes

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

We enjoyed reading Exodus 15 and the poetic account of the Israelites escape from Pharoah and praise and rejoicing in the escape. As the story continues, the Israelites have a rough patch, and God provides. Our discussions included observations: 

Is God harsh in his actions and judgment? People portray God as violent and ascribe violent actions to him. The Bible is clear: God does not what anyone to be lost. He is deeply grieved. Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 145:8-9

Is grumbling bad? Our discussion highlighted the expectation that God would provide an easy life in every detail regardless of the decisions and actions of the people. We observed that grumbling is the outward expression of frustration and discomfort. Recognizing these dissatisfaction can lead us to personal growth and a deeper trust and reliance on God. Romans 5:3-4 explains suffering produces perseverance, character, hope.

When God hardens Pharoah's heart, is he condemning and rejecting him? Our discussion and reflection in understanding and balancing God's love and with his power. "Keisho" or being "small minded" or inflexible or rigid in our minds and hearts to the point that we refuse to see our mistakes. God gave Pharoah many opportunities to change. Pharoah knew who God and was clearly forewarned and able to avoid grief and destruction. Pharoah's path led him to this outcome.

September 29: Exodus 

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

Are you familiar with the game Trivial Pursuit? Our discussions today
prepared us to answer many questions about a range of topics. AND
we reviewed English grammar, pronunciation, and cadence, too.
Sports and Leisure:

Do you love a certain sport? We have friends who love downhill skiing,
cross country skiing, and bowling. Others play bocce, golf, tennis,
pickleball, badminton, and ping pong. Some of us don’t play but prefer
watching sports. If you are a “football widow,” you may get bored
watching your husband watch football on television all weekend. To keep
our class from becoming boring, we shifted from golf to the Gulf States
(the vowel sound here is distinctly different).
 

Geography:
Are you planning to travel in the U.S.? There are distinct geographic and
cultural regions here. You may notice distinct accents in each region also.
Looking a map of the U.S., we highlighted some of these regions and
references: Gulf states, Coastal states, Corn Belt states, Midwestern
states, Flyover states, Southwestern states, Plains states, Pacific
Northwest states, Tornado Alley, New England states, Mid-Atlantic states,
Mountain states, Bible Belt states. How many U.S. states have you
visited? I have never visited Montana, but I have gone to Illinois many
times. How would you define the regional identities in your home country?
We welcome you to share your thoughts with the class. We agreed that
we should look beyond stereotypes (often portrayed in movies) and
assumptions to enjoy the full and fascinating sense of people and place in
any region.

 Entertainment:
Hospitality is a central part of most cultures. We find gatherings and play
dates for kids fun and entertaining, but the expectations may differ across
cultures. What does it mean to be a good neighbor? Should you drop by
to see someone or call ahead to prearrange a visit? Are you being rude if you decline a last-minute invitation? Must you have a perfectly clean
house before you can invite someone over? Does it make you a nervous
wreck to host a gathering? How do you organize your home and balance
your social life? We agreed that the most people want to experience your
warm welcome, not judge your decorating or housekeeping. In fact, we
enjoy seeing how different families “feather their nest.” Home Sweet
Home!

Concluding remarks from our friends:
“I learned about cultural approaches to visiting.”
“People are different, and that’s normal.”
“I learned a lot about regional boundaries and American culture. It
was really fun.”
“Polite curiosity about culture can promote conversation and
connection. Tell me more ....”

October 2: Maybe next week we will discuss Art and Literature and Science and
Nature! Join us to find out!

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 100

We started working with our sentences this week. Each sentence becomes a lesson! 

• We continued work with pronouns.
• We talked about subject/verb agreement. Often if the subject is singular (or only one person, place, thing, or idea), the verb is made singular by adding an "s" to the end.
• We talked about the meanings and uses of to, too, two. This is only confusing when they are written (because they all sound the same).
• We reviewed questions and answers. 
• We talked about how adding -ing to the end of a verb makes it an ongoing action, but we are married (They are getting married in the fall. They got married in the fall. I am married. I am divorced.). 

October 2: Review your sentences from the past weeks. Do you see ways to correct or improve your sentences? Continue writing three sentences a day (21 by next Thursday) and add to your word list. 

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

We met up at the Oktoberfest (on Zoom). We had a great conversation, after some technical difficulty on my part, but we still had a great meeting.

October 3: Learn about the Nine Tailed Fox. Be ready to tell the story. Include two made up parts or lies about the story. We will see if we know the facts of the story. 

Words and Phrases

account: story

condemning: public disapproval or sentencing someone to punishment or death 

dissatisfaction: not happy, not fulfilled

genre: type or style; usually art, music, films, etc 

go for: apply to 

grumbling: complaining 

inappropriate: not polite, rude, obscene 

poetic account: a story told in song or poetry 

rough patch: a period where things do not go easily or smoothly 

Work Hard and Play Harder

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Hello, Friends.

Fall is a special time of year. In the Midwest, the temperatures are trending down, but there can still be hot, summer-like days. Be prepared to add or remove a jacket or sweater. We enjoy the relief from the hot weather and the changing color of the leaves. Harvest time is 

Yellow jackets show up at picnics and festivals and tend to swarm trash cans that have food and sweet treats. Be careful.

Fun, Field-trips, and Festivals:

Circle City Irish Fest September 19-20 

Carmel Porchfest September 21, Noon to 6:00 PM. Visit the webpage to see the bands and activities. Download the app. Look for me there!

Oktoberfest at Cornerstone Lutheran Church: September 26, 4-10:00 PM. Kids activities, delicious German food, dancing and more. 

Hispanic Heritage Month activities September 15-October 15. 

Indy with Kids offers a great list of Fall Festivals and activities.

American English and Culture

Homecoming season is beginning. Schools celebrate alumni coming back to the universities or colleges with dances, special football games, tailgating, and more. 

High school homecoming includes a week long celebration of special dress days (hat day, crazy sock day, crazy hair day) ending with spirit day where everyone wears school colors. The homecoming game is a home game (a game at the school) on Friday and a semi formal or formal dance at the school on Saturday.

Homecoming is an important part of school culture in the fall. 

Learning Skills

Try to incorporate what you are trying to learn in your every day life. A little bit every day helps you to grow your thoughts and ideas. Repeating is fine, but little variations keep your brain from going on autopilot. A simple little change up activates different memories and parts of your brain and builds new pathways. 

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Exodus 13 and 14 were our readings after we met and learned more about our new friends. Exodus 13 is a great chapter to catch up with the story of the Israelites and Moses. Firstborn donkeys (unclean animals) could be redeemed through the sacrifice of a lamb (13:13) foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus for  redemption of the very important, but 

Our reading also encompassed the story of the Israelites escape from Pharaoh and his armies. The famous movie, the Ten Commandments portrays this miraculous event in the parting of the Red Sea.

 

 

Watch the entire movie of the Ten Commandments on YouTube

 

September 22: Join us as we read and consider chapters 15 and 16 of Exodus.

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

Our main topic was getting a driver's license in the U.S. and particularly in Indiana. The written test and study books are available in many different languages, and you can test in your most comfortable language. Be aware, that the practical test may be conducted in English.

September 25: Take a look at the Indiana Drivers Manual. Compare the English book with your home language. Do you have an American license? Did you take the written test in your home language? Now that the stress is over, do you understand the book.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 100

We posted five words from our word lists. There were a number of common words and not many that were new to us. We worked on polite phrases like please and thank you. We began working on brainstorming as a group to grow our words and phrases.

September 25: Keep adding to your word lists and write three sentences a day (21 sentences). We will start using these sentences in our class this week for group projects. 

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

We talked about Roblox. There are many games to play. You can choose what you like to play. There are games for kids, families, and adults only game spaces. Roblox is highly recommended.

Recommended Netflix:

• Kpop Demon Hunters
• Captain Underpants
• Naruto 

September 26: The story of the Nine Tail Fox (like in Naruto) and more about Roblox.

Words and Phrases

change up: different than the usual 

conducted: an action that is controlled 

consider: think and talk about 

foreshadowing: hints of a future event

Israelites: the people of Israel during Biblical times (in the Bible). Currently, people living in Israel are called Israelis regardless of their origin or religion 

practical test: demonstrating hands on skills or performing the task 

variations: changes 

Let's Settle In!

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Hello, Friends.

Our second week of classes came to a close. It is good to make new Friends and reconnect with old Friends. It is good to get back into the swing of things! We are settling in to the fall/winter seasons. In the United States, our kids are all back at school. As daylight hours diminish, we turn to books and study here in the American Midwest. Welcome to Fall. Welcome to a time to focus on learning and growing. Welcome to orange and yellow and pumpkin pie spice....

Fun, Field Trips, and Festivals

St George Middle Eastern Festival: September 19-21 in Fishers, IN. Enjoy food, fun, and faith Middle Eastern-style. Adult tickets are $5.00 and parking is free.

Indy Suburban Home Show: September 19-21 at Grand Park in Westfield, IN. Find ideas and vendors to spruce up your home. Adult tickets are $7.00 on line and $10.00 at the door.

American English and Culture

Pronouns are an important part of American English. They serve as a shortcut so you do not have to keep repeating what is being talked about. 

 

First-person pronouns refer to the speaker or the group associated to that person.

Second-person pronouns refer to other people or things.

Culturally, pronouns have been in the hot seat in America. People have taken issue with the concept of gender specific pronouns in light of sexual orientation. People may choose the pronouns they prefer to be referred (a name tag may say "my preferred pronouns are she/her). Be aware of this.

"They" may be transitioning to be the nonspecific way to refer to an individual (not just a group of people or things). These types of language evolution are common and normal. Sometimes the changes stick and sometimes the changes evaporate. Pronouns bear the brunt of social change. Pronouns are so closely tied to personal identity, so they can become an emotional hot button. We will watch and see how American English changes. 

Did You Hear What I Said?

We had a great time comparing what we say and what we hear. Our great examples of the week:

• It's tough or it's stuff
• I am or a yam
• I'm fifty or I'm fifteen

 How you hear depends on what you expect to hear...sometimes. If you have no expectations, then something strange might happen. This is how misunderstandings can occur. Our examples (from class)  this week are both the result of blending words together because of how we pronounce the phrases. Try them. Say them to your phone. Can you hear and feel the difference? 

Learning Skills

You are made to learn new languages. Language includes the words, rules, and the culture making up the language. Careers, recreation, fields of study, cooking, shopping, technology all have their own "language". How successful you are in becoming fluent in the new language depends on what you bring and where you are.

• Effort: time and energy put into the project
• Engagement: participation, attention, 
• Environment: where are you when you learn and where are you when you use what you have learned
• Emotion: feelings

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

We spent our time catching up with each other. Summer break activities were briefly talked about, but we were more excited to share our current events: Netflix shows and movies, celebrations, projects, recipes. While our past fun and events were important, it was more important for us to share where currently are so that we can move forward together.

September 15: Exodus 13-16 Read ahead and get ready to go!

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

What a great day. We did not have a large turnout, but we covered a lot of ground. We met new friends and learned a bit about each other. We enjoyed sharing odd phrases from our languages and cultures that describe a state of mind or emotion. 

We talked about the reasons and ways that we learn and retain information and then use it. 

We remembered what it was like to be 16 (years old). Reminiscing in American English helps you connect your life lived in one language with a new language. You can think of language as a road and events as a place. When you tell your story in a new language, you are building a new road to an old destination. It may feel a little off because the way is not familiar. The good news is that the more roads you build, the better your memory becomes!

September 18: Observing your life and the words and phrases that are important or usual, and necessary are the focus for the week

• Look for words pertaining to the five senses: see, here, smell, touch, taste. Bring examples and explanations.
• List the usual words and phrases in your day (any language here is fair game). Do not forget to identify work words, common and repetitive phrases to compare and create our common vocabulary. 

American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 100

We had a very productive meeting.

We started with introductions and practiced using personal pronouns. My name is Carolyn. Her name is Carolyn. She is Carolyn.

We shared five of the words we listed on the board. We compared lists and found many of our words are common. We had a nice little collection of slang or idioms, which at first glance we did not necessarily understand.

We wrote five sentences using our board words. 

Be careful. Say "I am" which can sound like "yam" in the native American English speakers. 

September 18: Observe your life and the words, phrases, and sentences that are important to you and that you use.

Homework: 

• Continue your word lists.
• Write three sentences a day. You should have 21 by our next class.

We will use your sentences and word lists in our next meeting to explore and build our American English knowledge and skills.

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

We met and our topic was Mine Craft. The goal was to tell about the game: how to play, why it is fun, what is needed. We were split 50/50 on whether we liked the game. Mine Craft is a sandbox game, which means that the player creates the world.  

September 19: Let's talk about Roblox.

Words and Phrases

bear the brunt: feel the load 

common and normal: nothing new...it happens 

covered a lot of ground: learned or talked about many subjects and ideas, got a lot of work done

current events: what is happening now

diminish and evaporate: go away 

get back into the swing of things: resume something 

hot button: something that leads to an argument, debate, or hurt feelings

in light of: in the context of or situation of 

in the hot seat: in a position of intense pressure, scrutiny, or difficulty, often facing difficult questions or making important decisions

nonspecific: general 

spruce up: fix, decorate, make look pretty 

state of mind: what you are thinking about

stick: become permanent 

taken issue: disagree; take an opposing viewpoint 

turnout: people attending something, people there

usual: common 

 

Welcome to 2025 2026 Meetings

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Hello Friends, 

This year our meetings and classes are off to a great start. I look forward to seeing you every week on Zoom and learning with you. Welcome!

Fun, Fieldtrips, and Foolishness:

We talk about many things we wanted to know more about and to experience. 

Salt Creek Ranch: Horseback riding and a road trip from Indy. These are guided trail rides, not instruction.

Made in America by Bill Bryson: a book about American English and how it became what it is today. Bill Bryson writes funny books about American culture, history, and ideas. Check it out at your library.

American English and Culture

Labor Day marks the end of summer culturally and officially (September 1 meteorological fall). Most pools close and (but splash pads may stay open a bit longer). 

Questions in the News

Vaccinations became the hot topic of the week. Here are some of the questions in the news. Are they open ended questions? Should they be open ended questions or should they be closed (or close ended) questions?

• Who should make the decisions when it comes to using vaccinations as preventive medicine? 
• Does the government decide? 
• If so, is this a state or federal issue? 
• Are all vaccinations equal? Do they have the same status?
• Are vaccinations for the health of the community or for the health of the individual? 

Learning Skills

Learning is what you are made to do and you do it without even trying or giving it a thought. You are efficient, effective, and elegant learners. You naturally learn and use what you learn every day. Trying to duplicate what we do naturally (like with AI) takes a vast amount of input and energy and AI cannot chew gum at the same time! Our brains and bodies work together to gather, store, and synthesize. You do you!

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Meetings begin on Monday, September 8. Join this interesting discussion group. Read in your home language and talk in English (mostly). The Bible is a great resource: it is translated in most languages, it covers history

September 8: Exodus 13-15 offer both a great move forward as well as a recap of what this book is all about. Join us! The stories are exciting and very human.

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

It is good to be back together again on Zoom. Our Friends (really family) are all over Indiana and the globe. We had a great time talking about why and how we do what we do. Understanding why something works (in learning English or any language for that matter) makes us even more efficient and effective because we can recognize what we are doing and accept. We set goals and expectations for the class and for each other.

• Class discussion content is often set on the fly. What do you want or need to know or talk about.
• Language rules (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, etc.) are covered as needed when needed. Everyone has a voice and responsibility to observe and offer insight.

The chat notes were "odd" from Zoom. Look for an email with the complete notes from September 4. We are looking into why these notes were missing...or we could not find them.

September 11: Bring words or phrases that are interesting. Try them out and play with them. Make sentences, puns and word plays, and pictures.

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

We came together for our first meeting. Everyone worked hard learning names and what everyone liked and liked to do. We had great discussions and made good connections. Everyone learned to pronounce "soccer" like an American. Everyone did great job stepping to the front to lead the class. Each person brought something new to the class discussion and to the board. I am glad that I will not have to work this year! Did you know that you learned:

• First person pronoun use?
• Second person pronoun use?
• Concept formation and substitution?
• Simple and complex questioning?
• Things you have in common with each other?
• A whole bunch of new words?

September 11: Listen for questions. Key words: Who, what, when, where, why, how, whose. These questions cannot be answered with a simple choice (yes or no, pick from one, he did it), but need explanation. Notice that American English is a language of more.

Make lists of the words you use in your life. Check your phone texts. Check your emails. Listen to what you say at home. What are those words (in English or not...)? These make up your personal vocabulary list. Bring them to our meeting next week.

Look at our "Language Learning Basics" tab at the top of the webpage for a quick reference.

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

Welcome back Friends! We had a nice meeting where we caught up with our summer. We heard about a beach in Japan where it is rumored that you can find jade and sea glass. We used the magic of sharing the screen to see what these things look like. Sports fans, do you know what a knockout or elimination tournament is?

As a bonus, the moms took a few minutes to meet and catch up. 

September 8: We will hear about the lunar eclipse from our friend in Japan and our friends will teach me about Minecraft.

Words and Phrases

as a bonus: something extra 

check it out: a pun! Check it out can mean take a look at something or it can mean that you borrow something from a library, or gym, etc.

do: 

• made to do: created for job or used for something as a short term solution
• do you do: how or what is your experience or opinion or way to get something done
• you do you: be yourself, act in a way natural for you 

hot topic: a subject that is being discussed, written about, debated, or just enjoyed by a community

if so: assuming the previous statement is true, then what [is your opinion, what happens, etc.]

set on the fly: established at the moment 

stepping to the front: standing before everyone to talk or lead a conversation 

synthesis: combine ideas and concepts into new ideas and theories

try them out: work with something to see how it fits