Sunday, November 16, 2025

Welcome to the Winter Holiday Season!

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Hello, Friends.

Next week is our Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving feast. This is one of our most popular and famous events. Be sure to come so you don't miss out on delicious food and conversation! If you can't make it to your usual morning class feast, come to the evening feast!

The holiday season was officially opened by the city of Carmel, Indiana on November 14. From mid-November through the first of the new year, we celebrate the thankfulness, and then peace, hope, and joy. Check your community calendars and enjoy the decorations and festivities.

Many people are taking advantage of this warm weather to hang Christmas lights. This is premature, but you can count on a quick turn in the weather to make your decorating uncomfortable or maybe even impossible. Some people would argue that it is too soon. Others can not wait (especially if they are traveling over Thanksgiving).

International Friends Dates

November 20: International Friends Feasts: bring your favorite feasting dish to share. Learn to prepare a turkey and other traditional mid-western dishes. Bring your favorite feasting food to share. This is a pitch-in.

November 22 to December 24: The Carmel Christkindlmkt is open with 50 vendors, music, ice skating and just a great place to meet friends and enjoy a German-style winter/Christmas fest.  

November 24-28: No meetings or classes. Happy Thanksgiving

November 27: Thanksgiving Day: enjoy feasting, and football, friends and family!

November 28: Black Friday kicks off the Christmas shopping season. 

November 29: Small Business Saturday: shop local (although sales are already on!) 

December 1: Cyber Monday: shop for great deals on-line

Lean On Me


Conversations this week included how we rely on each other, we were reminded of this American classic. There are many great idioms. Sing along to feel the rhythm and cadence of American English.

Speak Up! Speak Out! Speak About Phrasal Verbs in English!

Directional” phrasal verbs, which include a verb plus “in, out, up, down, into, over, and on,” are usually idiomatic. They have a figurative, not a literal meaning. Here are a few of our favorites to describe emotion and relationships. Listen for them. Try them in your conversations.

Homonyms, Homographs, and Homophones—Context makes all the difference

There are three classifications of words in American English that can be misconstrued either in writing or in conversation. Context helps to get the right meaning. Below is a brief explanation.  

Homonym: Same spelling and pronunciation, but different meaning: 
  • Let’s watch a movie tonight.
  • Please set your watch for 7:00 PM.
Homograph: Same spelling, but different pronunciation and meaning:
  • She tears up her shopping receipts before she throws them away.
  • She tears up when she watches a sad movie.

Homophone: Same pronunciation, but different spelling and meaning:
  • He rode his bicycle down the road to the store.

Over 300 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs: A List of Easily Confused Words That Sound or Look the Same provides an explanation, examples, and exercises. Do not be intimidated! This normal for all American English Speakers. A strategy here is to find the words you usually use. Then, notice new context and concepts. 


For Here or to Go?

We had fun role playing how we might order in different restaurants. Having so many choices  about items on the menu, cooking preferences, pricing, and tips can be intimidating. Step out of your comfort zone and lean into the challenge of ordering, asking questions, and trying something new. Some helpful phrases:
  • What do you recommend?
  • Could I have a little more time to think about my order?
  • Could you read back my order (to make sure it’s correct)?

International Friends Meeting Notes

Some of our students are working out of town and cannot always make or evening meeting. We are trying setting up a concurrent Zoom to loop everyone into the meeting. Look for the e-mail. Even if you do not regularly come to this class, you are welcome to be a part of this hybrid experiment.

Join us! Click here to register.


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

We had a great discussion regarding the civil laws given to Moses for the Israelites in Exodus 21-23. God provided specific consequences for specific actions. While it was interesting to think about the situations that prompted these laws, it was also important to think about the overarching cultural situations of the Israelites as they left generations of slavery behind and faced new challenges and peoples. We used words like justice, compassion. People who broke the trust, were irresponsible (even with the behavior of their animals), planned murder, stealing, and sexual attack were met with equal punishment (criminal law). Exodus 21: 23-25 are the famous "an eye for an eye" verses that specify . These rules expose the violence and selfishness that harms individuals and damages a society and community and brings the secret to light to be dealt with by the appointed authorities.

November 17: Read Exodus 24-27 to learn more about the covenant between God and the Israelites and the building of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM, Room 100

We covered so much ground this week. Above is a bit of the grammar content. If you are registered, you should be able review the Chat on Zoom any time. As usual, the conversation content was interesting and helped to provide the context for remembering and learning.

November 21: Join us in-person at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in room 100 to learn how to prepare a turkey and other American dishes. Bring your favorite feasting dish to share. Bring your friends and family.

Listen to the song “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. As we gather for our Thanksgiving party next week, think about a time in your life when you had to “lean on” someone. Be ready to tell your story as we gather for good food with gratitude.


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


We had great conversations in both our Thursday classes that led to understanding grammar and common American English usage. Check our boards for the notes. We started looking at prefixes and suffixes.


November 21: Join us in-person at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in room 100 to learn how to prepare a turkey and other American dishes. Bring your favorite feasting dish to share. Bring your friends and family.

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

Our Friend had a work experience this week in agriculture. We learned about farming in Japan. It is different than farming in the United States. We found out that in order to graduate with an agricultural degree, our Friend's host had to write in English!

November 21: Write a couple of paragraphs telling about Japanese agriculture. This is not a research project, but a reflection or opinion piece.

Words and Phrases and Resources

and: a little word used to connect two ideas or items in a list; (a conjunction) whether a comma is used before "and" depends on a number of factors: 
  • If the two items intended to be considered as one item (I like fish and chips, pizza, and spaghetti and meatballs.).
  • If there are only two items in the list (I like cats and dogs.)
  • If the regional practice is to use a comma before the "and" when listing (I like daisies, carnations, and petunias.                                                      Click here to grammar geek out and learn more.
civil laws: rules that are enforced by government that protect the private rights of people (citizens)
criminal law: rules that are enforced by the government to deter and/or punish offenders 
misconstrued: misinterpret words or actions
overarching: comprehensive, all embracing
pitch-in: when everyone brings one dish or 
piece: written or musical projects or creations are often called pieces
rely: depend, look to someone for support
role playing: practice dialogues; we do them off the cuff!
traveling over: taking a trip during a specific time

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