International Friends Is Back In Session!

 Hello Friends.

It was wonderful to be Zooming together again. We were happy to discover that Friends that have moved away can continue to Zoom with us from other countries. Check our Meetings and Classes and join us.

Back To Class

It was good to be back to class. This year we are continuing our classes on Zoom. We have Friends Zooming from beyond the greater Indianapolis area. You

Our Friends made great observations about moving from speaking in our

• Mother language
• Mother tongue
• Native language
• Home language
• First language

to a new language. 

Our English Classes made these key observations:

• Listening is important.
• Hearing is important.
• Being mindful of how others hear us is important. (American Ears)
• Accents and speech patterns are key to understanding.
• Acceptable words and ways are important to know.
• Understanding the culture is important to language learning.
• Knowing casual or formal word usage as well as inappropriate language is important.

The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

The Right to Vote is important for American citizens. Free and fair elections have been the hallmark of our country. Election "season" is an important time for Americans to get to know the candidates and their stand on issues. 

Section 1
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude–

Section 2
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

This Week in Review

American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM, Zoom

Class begins September 12. 

American Accent Training: Thursday, 9:30-11:30 AM, Zoom

Bill's Tip is "over the top".  

American English: Thursday, 9:30-11:30 AM, Zoom

We are getting to know each other these first weeks. A level of trust is important to communicate. 

September 15: Bring three goals or things that you would like to concentrate or learn.

Kids Conversation: Friday, 5:30-6:00 PM, Zoom

We learned about one of our Friend lives in Japan and they had a family camping trip through their school. Ten families set up and slept in tents, cooked over fires, and made crafts. We learned about Baumkuchen (Tree Cake) and French toast. Both of these dishes came to 

September 18: Try making French toast. Tell us about it.

through: 

Welcome September!

Hello, Friends.

It is football season! College and high school games are in full swing. Football is an important part of American culture. Whether you follow the sport or not, we are impacted by this sport.

The professional football season begins September 8. Pick a team or players to follow and learn about the game from the NFL (National Football League).

International Friends Registration Is Open: Classes Begin the Week of September 12

Register to get the Zoom links. Links will be issued Friday, September 9. You can enter either a phone number (for numbers outside the U.S., include your country code) or email to get a confirmation code to confirm that you are a real person and not a spammer or bot.

Welcome September! Mark Your Calendars for Indiana Fall Fun

Now that the pools have closed, the lazy days are over and the fall festival season has begun.

Hamilton County has so much to offer. September festivals and fun are on. Click to see all or see our favorites below.

Jupiter Balloon Flights at Connor Prairie: September 9 and 10. Join for free at 7:30 AM or get tickets to the park and celebrate.

Chinese Mooncake Festival: September 10, 6:30-8:30 PM, Art and Design District, Carmel.

St. George Middle Eastern Festival: is held annually at 10748 E 116th street, Fishers. This year it is a three day event: September 16, 5:00-10:00 PM, September 17, 1:00-10:00 PM and September 18, 1:00-5:00 PM. Free admission, tours of the 

Cornerstone Lutheran Church Oktoberfest: September 23, 4:00-10:00 PM, on the corner of Main and Gray Streets in Carmel.

James Dean Festival: Fairmount, IN, September 23-25.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

Citizenship, Equal Protection, and Other Rights of Citizens

This amendment is quite long and describes how the rights of the citizens of the United States are upheld and enforced. Many cases have come before the Supreme Court to inform how this amendment is upheld. Most current events are informed by this amendment and understanding this right and the history supporting this right is critical for understanding current American issues. There is a wonderfully long outline and discussion that is well worth looking into The Fourteenth Amendment: Citizenship, Equal Protection, and Other Rights of Citizens

Section 1 Due Process of Law

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2 Apportionment of Representation

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3 Disqualification from Holding Office

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4 Public Debt Clause

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5 Enforcement Clause

The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

abridged: shortened or condensed

apportioned: divide and share

assume (a debt): take over the payment of a debt

bot: a computer program that imitates the behavior of a person

come before: presented for judgement

disability: (law) lack of legal qualification to do something

disqualification: to deprive of a right after a hearing

quite: considerably, very

spammer: a person or organization that sends irrelevant or unsolicited messages over the internet, typically to large numbers of users, for the purposes of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc:

upheld: supported or given support

Welcome Back To International Friends

Hello, Friends. 

Labor Day ends the summer and all vacation recreation and kicks off the fall season in the United States. We celebrate with parades, bar-be-cues, pool closing parties, and outdoor fun. Enjoy this weekend!

Our Kid's Conversation group is hanging in there to the bitter end. Our last class is September 2.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS MEETINGS BEGIN SEPTEMBER 5-9 ON ZOOM

We are closing out the school year. New Zoom links are being created. We are continuing on Zoom so we can continue to meet with our Friends who may not live close enough to get together in person.

• Register by clicking here to join our classes and meetings.
• Find out more about our classes and meetings.

You will need to enter a valid phone number to receive a confirmation text to assure you are a real person.

Use the text field for "Parents" to type in your information if it does not fit in the provided fields. Don't worry if you are not signing up for the Kid's Conversation. 

Please email me if you run into any problems so we can solve them! We hope to meet you!

The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

Section 1

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Be sure to read more about this important and very relevant amendment. This amendment covers all forms of slavery as well as involuntary servitude (often called forced labor or human trafficking in current vernacular). The historical background discusses the 

accommodate: fit your needs, provide the right space 

all-American: having American characteristics and qualities (a pun)

vernacular: language or dialect spoken by people

workaround: way to overcoming a problem or limitation in a program or system that is not the intended use

International Friends 2022-2023 Year Registration Is Open

Hello, Friends.

Out with the old and in with the new!

American Sign Language has our last meeting of the summer this week.

Kid's English has two more meetings this summer: our last meeting is September 2.

Register to get the new Zoom link for the Fall.

Our registration is open for the 2022-2023 year! CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.

We are looking forward to meeting with you this year. CLICK HERE to see our class offerings.

The Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;–the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;–The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.–]The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

Election of our president was carefully prescribed by our founders. This Amendment supersedes Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution when there was a tie for the office of president. Read more here.

prescribed: state authoritatively, stipulate

supersedes: take the place of or replaces

Back to Business

Hello, Friends.

International Friends staff met last week and we are looking forward to starting classes after Labor Day. This year we are beginning on Zoom with after Labor Day. I am learning the new sign up system, but will be posting a link in the next update (and emails).

As we are coming out of the pandemic, we are finding that we have many new resources (like Zoom) and Friends all around the world. Settling into a niche that works for you is important to us. Please tell us what you like about our correspondence as well as our class offering or what you would like to see. We have sister sites American English Quick Start. What do you want to know? What do you need to know? Email Carolyn.

New COVID Guidance From the CDC

Studies show that 95% of people in American have some level of immunity against COVID. The new strains present a lower risk of death or severe illness than the earlier strains. If you are exposed, you do not need to quarantine, but wear a mask for 10 days and test on day five. If you do test positive, isolate for five days and if your symptoms have improved and you no longer have symptoms, you can come out of isolation, but should wear a mask for the next five days (until day 10). If you test negative on two tests, you can discontinue wearing the mask. These new guidelines allow schools to remain in session and reduce disruptions to daily living.

The Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

• The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

• This amendment states that private parties cannot bring suit against a state where they are not citizens. The history and legal cases informing this amendment are critical and extends to foreign governments. The history and decisions within this amendment are interesting and apt in today's environment.

• American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 PM EDT, Zoom

• We call "listening" to someone signing "reading". Less than one in twenty people in the United States are deaf or hard of hearing. We are practicing using YouTubes and conversation with each other. 

Kid's Conversation: Friday, 5:30-6:00 PM EDT, Zoom

Our friends had a lot to share about the United States and Indiana. Everyone is wrapping up their breaks and are getting back to school.

apt: appropriate

commenced: initiated

discontinue: stop

equity: legal equity does not equate to legal fairness or justness, but to a particular body of rules that originated through a special system of the courts.

Back To School Busses

 Hello Friends. 

Most of our students are back to school or are going back this week. 

We are continuing American Sign Language and Kids Conversation through August. Look for announcements for our fall classes beginning after Labor Day (September 5).

Students and Riding the School Bus

Back to school means the school busses are out and running. Here is a great page from Whitehall Schools in Ohio about students and safety and respect. 

And here is an article on School Bus Safety for our Children from the Hamilton County Reporter  

More Local Fun

Just because we are busy with school, does not mean we aren’t out enjoying life. There is so much to do!

Movies a at Midtown in Carmel are scheduled through December. Click to see the dates and for more information. 

Visit Hamilton County has links to events and activities in our county. Some of these include 

Floral Design Classes at Oberers

The Eleventh Amendment to The Constitution of the United States 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Simply said, if a right (or power) is not in the Constitution (either conferred or forbidden), and a need rises to decide what is and is not legal, then decisions and the laws are made locally by the states or the communities.it is a local right and responsibility.

Read  more to understand why this is such an important amendment and to understand  current events in discussion regarding the role of the Supreme Court and individual states.

local: belonging to a specific area

running: driving their route

simply said or simply stated: straightforward, to cut to the chase, 

Hello August!

Hello, Friends.

The summer is flying by! August is here. That means it’s back to school time. Hurry! We need a last minute get away. We need new clothes, back packs, pencils, notebooks, shoes. Here at International Friends, we are continuing our partnership with Cornerstone Lutheran Church. The new registration software should be easier for you to sign up. Stay tuned for more information.

Weather and Fashion Memes

The last few, cooler days remind us that fall is not far away. People are already looking forward to sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything. Of course, there are Dad joke memes to suit!

If you are not ready for the cooler weather, maybe you will be happier to think about this Husky meme.

The Tenth Amendment to The Constitution of the United States 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Read more about this right. The balance of power between the federal, state, and local government is asserted.

Our Summer Meetings continue to delight us. 

American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30, Zoom

We watched videos of songs and marveled at our ability to read all the different people and their signs. Finding people to practice our skills is our goal.

Kid's Conversation: Friday, 5:30-6:00, Zoom

We had a great discussion about accents and versus pronunciation. The 

asserted: stated as a fact

delight: make happy

flying by: going fast

get away: take a holiday or vacation

last minute: impromptu or sudden

marveled: be amazed

to suit: fitting (hahaha get the pun!)