Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

This week brought on a cold snap with surprise. We had freeze warnings on Wednesday and Thursday. Many of us finally kicked on our furnaces. The fall color in Indiana is beautiful! Our weather is changeable here in Indiana and in the Midwest. We should still have some warmer days.

HALLOWEEN HINTS

Don't forget that Halloween is being celebrated on Friday, October 31. Check community Trick or Treat time and be ready for guests (porch lights on and/or yard decorations means people are welcoming kids). If you do not want to give out candy to kids, make sure your house lights are off.

If you are going out to Trick or Treat, stay safe. Carry a flashlight. Watch for traffic. Don't eat unwrapped candy. Be prepared for sudden and unexpected weather changes.

Fall Foliage Field Trips, and Feasting:

Fall Foliage Finds from Indy's Child

And other Fall Foliage Field Trips from USA Today

November Calendar with International Friends

I have a friend who said that after Halloween, the school year is over. 

November 20: International Friends Feasts: bring your favorite feasting dish to share. Learn to prepare a turkey and other traditional mid-western dishes. Then let's feast!

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

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

Questions in the News

Immigration is in the news locally and in the United States as well as internationally. Legal vs illegal immigrants are at the forefront. Each country defines and enforces their own laws. In the United States the Department of Homeland Security (USDHS), United States Immigration, and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) all have a hand in enforcing immigration laws outlined in Federal law.

USCIS defines and identifies the forms or legal documents that are necessary and offers explanations for filing the forms. 

• This page defines the laws and processes for working in the U.S. 
• This page defines the laws and processes for visiting (not living in) the U.S.
• This page defines humanitarian protection.

USDHS provides a page explaining "How Do I" for public (as in general people in the community). This includes more than immigration. Employers and businesses have a separate set of definitions and are responsible for their actions.

The page regarding the enforcement of immigration violations from ICE defines deportation from a law enforcement perspective. Self-deportation is an option for people who are in the United States illegally. People can download the CBP Home Mobile Application.

It is important to find an immigration lawyer and get official advice to avoid heartache.

Time Travel in American English (or It's Grammar Time)

Review our Language Learning Basics. Move beyond the simple rules in your conversations.

Scott Metzler

What time is it? As we describe our activities and tell our stories in English, we can become "time travelers" exploring the fine differences between verb tenses to explain exactly when something happens.

Begin to build on the basic tenses you already know:

Present--I watch TV. 

Past--I watched TV yesterday. 

Future--I will watch TV tomorrow.

Then try the progressive tenses:

Present Progressive--I am watching TV right now. 

Past Progressive--I was watching TV when the phone rang. 

Future Progressive--I will be watching TV tomorrow at 8:00 PM to see the new nature program.

Then explore the perfect tenses:

Present Perfect--I have watched TV every day this week. 

Past Perfect--I had watched TV for an hour before I went to bed last night. 

Future Perfect--I will have watched TV for an hour before I go to bed tomorrow.

Then mix it up with more complex (and unusual) perfect progressive tenses:

Present Perfect Progressive--I have been watching TV for an hour.

Past Perfect Progressive--I had been watching TV for an hour when my husband came home.

Future Perfect Progressive--I will have been watching for an hour before I go to work tomorrow.

Think about your life experience as a timeline—an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, your whole life. Draw a picture of where events happen on the timeline. Then put yourself on the timeline to help you know which verb to use. We will continue to practice verbs in the coming weeks.

Vocabulary 

We encountered the very common American English word "as". This comparison word that can be lost in translation. One strategy for learning how something is used in English vs a preferred non-English language is to reverse the idea: how do I use/translate the word if I am trying to learn your preferred language? The How to Say Guide has some great information. 

How to say "as" in Korean

How to say "as" in Italian

How to say "as" in Spanish

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

We are moving slowly through the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20. We reprised our discussions in the context of Luther's Small Catechism, which gives a simple and effective definition supporting each commandment and provides supporting Bible verses (Luther's philosophy of "let Scripture interpret Scripture"). We noticed that the commandments provide more than surface rules, but a context for understanding our relationship with God and with other people (Mark 12:28-34). 

In remembering the Sabbath Day or setting aside a day for God and for rest is not something we think of in our 24 hour day. There is a trend for a four-day work week and talk of work-life balance, then there are people working two or more jobs to make ends meet. We talked about taking time to rest and making time for corporate worship-meaning time to read the Bible and pray together. In Mark 2:27 Jesus explains that this commandment is intended for personal care not as a burden. As one study friend observed, "It is about protection. Protecting self and all one's own. It is the one day not to worry but to take time and rest. You can put God first. You can be the best of yourself."

The fourth commandment is about honoring your parents. While this commandment looks like it is about children respecting their parents, there is a responsibility as a parent to be the best of yourself to be worthy of the honor of being a parent. 

October 27: We will begin with the fifth commandment: you shall not murder.

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

We got deep into grammar and explored more on how we can be better storytellers to get our point across. Don't get tense over tenses. In American English time is all in the verb.

Homework:

1. Look and Listen:  Notice how you hear verbs used in the world and media (news, movies, podcasts) around you. Try using subtitles to note differences in what you hear and read. Report on our observations next week. 
2. Send Carolyn a copy of your sentences about your activities last week describing where you came and went. 
3. Draw a timeline of your experiences.  You choose the time frame (day, week, month, year). 

Examples:

 

<———————————————————————————————————————>

M                     T                      W                     Th                    F                      Sat                   Sun

Doctor              Lesson             Meeting            English           Brunch            Party                Dinner

< ———————————————————————————————————————>

1980                1990                2000                2010                2020                2025                2026

Marriage          Moving            Parenting        Parenting        College            Empty Nest     Retire

October 28: Get ready to share your sentences and stories. Tell us what you discovered. Thinking in the past and telling about it in the present (in English) connects your life experience, languages, and vocabularies. 

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

Check out our boards in our Class Notes! Look through all of them. We reprised much of our previous lessons to build on our impromptu sentences. Look at the summary from our Zoom class. We need to build confidence. We are looking through a list of the 1000 Most Frequent Words in English. There is another list our Class Notes. We drilled our word and sentence practice as we read through the words. We knew almost all of the words. For the next week, make sentences using the words from the first page. Concentrate on the words that are mot familiar. Are there any words that do not have a similar word in your home language?

October 28: Bring your sentences. We will read them and work with them.

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

We met and talked about tennis and tennis practice and how we train for that sport. We also talked about electricity. In Japan, our Friend built an electrical system using a battery and copper to light a light bulb. That reminded me of science projects here in the States where we use coins to make a battery. Science Buddies has a great experiment to try using coin. This experiment explains the terms used in the project.

October 29: Let's talk more about electricity!

Words and Phrases and Resources

Luther's Small Catechism resources

Project Gutenberg provides documents that are not copywritten for download. This link takes you to several versions of Luther's Small Catechism including a Japanese translation (not an easy translation to find. There is also a free app available from the Apple store for reference and a companion to the Bible apps.

burden: a load; drudgery

forefront: leading or an important thing

get [your] point across: tell what you need someone to know

have a hand in: play a role, participate

heartache: emotional anguish or grief (especially at the loss of or in behalf of a loved one)

impromptu: off the cuff, not planned in advance

kicked on our furnaces: turn on or ignite your furnace

lost in translation: misunderstood because there is not a way of conveying and idea across languages with a quick translation; something that needs explanation, not translation

regarding: concerning; dealing with issues or information

reprised: repeat as in repeat performance 

shall: should

tense: stressed, upset

tense: verbs that indicate when something takes place

Mid October Messages

 Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

Stuff and nonsense. 

Fun, Field Trips, Frights:

American English and Culture

It is a little early to be planning for Halloween, or is it. This holiday is a favorite. Basically, it is one big costume party for kids. They go door to door asking for treats. This holiday was brought to the United States by the Scottish and Irish immigrants. Nowadays it is a secular holiday having no meaning although it has roots in the pagan belief in Celtic past that this particular day the dead can return in spirit or otherwise. 

Here is the Carmel press release (which is similar to those in any town).

CARMEL, Ind., Oct. 15, 2025 - The City of Carmel's official hours of trick-or-treating will be Friday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. Homes welcoming trick-or-treaters should turn on their porch lights. If you do not wish to participate, or run out of treats, please turn off your porch lights. 

While there are many neighborhoods and other organizations that hold their own Halloween events and celebrations, we encourage those who want to trick-or-treat door-to-door to use the City's official hours to do so. 

The City would also like to remind its residents of a few guidelines and proper safety procedures to follow for a safer celebration. While preparing for Halloween festivities, there are several important safety tips to keep in mind.

Motorists should drive with extra caution and keep an eye out for “little goblins” roaming the neighborhood.

Adults should always accompany their children and use a flashlight at night, staying within their own neighborhood and known homes. The use of glow sticks or reflective tape on costumes can also help with visibility. 

Watch for traffic before crossing any street.

Avoid costumes that are long, which could cause tripping or costumes that have hard plastic or wood props like swords that could be a hazard.

Face paint is often a safer alternative to masks that may obstruct vision.

It is also important to inspect candy before allowing children to have it; dispose of any candy that is unwrapped.

Learning Skills

Cadence or the rhythm of American English came up in our class this week. Listening songs on the radio is a great way to get an ear for the song of English. Compare the singing to the DJ's speaking patterns. Can you hear the song?

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

We started reading Exodus 20 which is the 10 Commandments. God dictated these commandments or to Moses to help the people know how to live a good life. The first three commandments tell about our relationship with God and what He wants for and from us. We had great discussions about the meaning of the commandments and could understand how our relationship and view of God could impact the future generations by our attitudes and teaching.

These commandments can take center stage in American culture in battles of their display in public buildings. 

October 20: We will continue our discussion of the commandments with the fifth commandment.

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

Easy Come, Easy Go: We had fun sharing our favorite seasons and proverbs from our cultures.  Proverbs resonate across cultures. The imagery may be different and create a unique sense of place, but the messages, morals, and wisdom seem familiar. They “translate” to teach us simple lessons about perseverance, patience, hard work, humility, inner beauty, and good character.  They reach across time to preserve legacy and tradition. The book 101 American English Proverbs: Understanding Language and Culture Through Commonly Used Sayings by Harry Collis is an entertaining illustrated book to help you learn. 

As we continue to tell our stories, we explored the verbs come and go in various tenses. Sometimes it is difficult to know which of these verbs to use. The secret is to ask: 

• Where is the speaker? 
• Where is the listener?
• Where is anyone else in the conversation?

Also consider if the movement in the story is toward the speaker or listener or away from the speaker or listener. Notice that English has MANY phrasal verbs and phrases with come and go.

Come vs Go Grammar Shorts

October 23: Continue the momentum we generated this week. 

1. Narrate the story of your activities this week. Write at least seven sentences about where you come and go each day. HINT: Because you are reflecting on the past, use came and went (the irregular past tense form for you Grammar Geeks) in most sentences. This exercise helps you review a, an, the (articles in Grammar speak). Underline "come and go" in your story.
2. Bring at least one question about the homework (or anything on your mind).
3. Start keeping a list of phrasal verbs with come and go. Can you find some in the example?

EXAMPLE: On Monday, I went to the gym in the morning and came home for lunch. Then I went to the grocery store, and I came home to make dinner.  After my husband came home from work, we ate dinner and watched a movie. Then we went to bed early.  On Tuesday, I went to a doctor’s appointment and stopped by the library before I came home. On Wednesday, my sister and I went to lunch.  Our niece came with us. On Thursday, my son came home from college to stay for the weekend.  On Friday, our family went to a Pacers game and came home late. On the way home we talked about our vacation last year when we went on a cruise. On Saturday we didn’t go anywhere, but our neighbors came over for a cookout.  On Sunday, our son went back to college, and my husband and I went out for brunch.  When we came home, we both took a nap.  It was a busy week!

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

We had a great time talking about many things. Check out our white boards to see our conversation. Several things to take note of:

• Adults are efficient learners. They do learn differently from kids because of their life experiences. Learning American English is not anything different than learning to order from Starbucks or McDonalds. You need to know what you need and then you quickly learn the words and structure to get the job done. 
• When you compare the structure of American English and your home language, notice that there are many of the same elements. Many of the words are similar, also. American English is one of those languages that uses other languages' words (with a different accent and Americanized spelling).
• The cadence or song or rhythm of a language makes a big difference in how hard it is to pronounce words. It also makes a difference in how we understand them.

October 23: Everyone in class this week got a list of the 1000 most frequently used words in English. Read through the list and notice how many words you already know. Bring questions and bring your list to spin some conversations about these words. There is another list that I really like: 1000+ Most Common Words.

Pick a podcast and listen in English. Be sure to pick a topic that is interesting to you. 

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

My deepest apologies. I had technical difficulties and was not able to connect to Zoom this Friday. Please check your Email for more information. While I was able to connect later (using the same equipment), I am still sending out a new Zoom link to use from now on. 

October 24: We will finally talk about electricity. Electricity plays an important part in our lives. Be ready to talk about where it comes from and what you know about it. Come charged up!

Words and Phrases

center stage: become the focus of something

do: used to emphasize or underline what someone is saying

imagery: writing that causes physical and emotional responses

nowadays: currently

resonate: to appeal to someone emotionally

October Surprises

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Hello, Friends.

October in the United States is a transition time for the weather and for our activities. School is underway and kids are getting Fall Breaks or a vacation. Depending on the school and the district, the break may be anywhere from a few days to a whole week. 

October is time to clean up yards and winterize garden beds. Be prepared to bring in any outdoor plants and prepare to cover other plants against the first frost. Here in Indiana it can happen any time now. This does not mean that warm weather is over for the year. Take advantage of the last of the hot and sunny days.

October ends with Halloween. People have begun decorating for this fun for kids of all ages holiday. Take a drive and see the spooky and silly Halloween fun! People let their hair down. Halloween decorations  

Fun and Field-trips:

Santa Claus is really a city in Indiana. Where else can you go to enjoy the holidays. Put this on on your list because Santa Claus is not just for Christmas!

Indiana Department of Natural Resources has fall fun for families. Pumpkin carving and Halloween fun, sleepover deals, or just hiking in the autumn woods.

American English and Culture

Be is an irregular verb that means none of the words look or sound the same in all their different forms (or place in time: past, present, future). Forms of be are common little words we rarely notice since they are our most used verbs and because they are all different.

• be (base or infinitive-often used with "to") She wants to be a fairy for Halloween. You be quiet.
• am, is, are (occurring in this moment or the present) I am a bat for Halloween.
• was, were (occurring in the past) We were going to the pumpkin patch.
• being (ongoing actions) I am being a witch at the haunted house.
• been (ongoing actions) I wish I had been a ghost for Halloween.

Grammar Geek out: Grammarly 

Questions in the News

The government shutdown is a lingering issue in the news. Essential services continue, but many government employees are on furlough or are working without pay. Back pay is guaranteed by the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019. 

A clean continuing resolution or clean CR is the approval of a short term bill that keeps the government open and functioning. This is the stopgap that congress is in conflict.

Learning Skills

We often talk about activities and strategies for learning (acquiring new knowledge) in our classes. Here are some of the strategies we hit in our discussions this week. 

Take the verbs begin, start, continue, love, prefer, hate, and can't stand can be followed either by an infinitive (to study) or a gerund (studying). And apply the rule to cultural expectations about time. 

Use "being" to talk about jobs, roles, or personalities. (Example: I like being a teacher. She loves being a nurse. He hates being a teenager. We enjoy being the hosts for the party. You should continue being a good listener.)  

Relate new ideas to existing memories. Build paths through your brain forest.

Compare two things that seem different and look to find commonalities to broaden understanding: Tai Chi and learning a language are alike: slow and steady movement that is fluid and continuous.

Some other types of connections or rhetorical patterns you can try include:

• Narration--tell a story
• Description--give details
• Explanation--explain or describe
• Definition--give the meaning
• Persuasion--change another person&#39;s opinion
• Comparison/contrast--explore similarities and differences
• Classification/division--group or sort ideas
• Cause/effect--consider reason and results
• Problem/solution--list possible steps to a positive outcome

International Friends Meeting Notes 

Join us! Click here to register.

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

Exodus 18 and 19 are two straight-forward chapters in the saga of Moses and the Israelites. Key observations included:

• Leaders need support of the people they are called to lead
• Israelites were appointed to solve disputes on a local level leaving Moses free to handle the more complex issues.
• Moses' father-in-law suggested Moses enlist the assistance of the others suggesting that people outside of the problem can have elegant solutions. 

March 3: Exodus 20 tells the story of the Ten Commandments: God's gift to humanity for living to have a good life (not just laws or rules that condemn us).

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

We were all over the map--the brain map! As we learn American English together, we also learn about learning and the importance of making connections to build memory. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize connections. We considered the Chinese proverb: "If you live until you are old, you learn until you are old." We generated a great vocabulary list. Find select words in the Class Notes or go to Zoom (from the app or from a browser). Click on Chat to see all of our class chat notes from the beginning of the year to our latest class.

October 16: Homework for the week: Bring one or two (or a basket of) proverbs to share. The proverbs may be in your home language, but be able to explain them in English. Let's compare stories and advice. Check out this site that has Polish Proverbs.

Be on the lookout for the forms of "be" and be aware of how they are used. Be verbs are singular or plural. Be careful when using these with pronouns and naming nouns.

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

Clarifying the use of in, or at, or to in sentences is key to understanding what is being said and where we are going or are. See the boards for a refresher.

October 16: Keep listening and writing sentences. Notice how the word order in English differs from word order in your home language. Expand basic sentences to include more detail and better explain what we mean and tell or story.

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

Happy Fall Break!

October 17: Be ready to talk about electricity. 

Words and Phrases

back pay: given 

furlough: sent home and not allowed to work 

lingering: lasting a long time 

rhetorical: using effective language to communicate and persuade

stopgap: a temporary solution until a permanent solution can be found 

underway: in progress

winterize: prepare for winter weather 

Welcome October

 Click here to go to our website.

Hello, Friends.

October is here. While the leaves are still green, for the most part, they are beginning to fall to the ground here in Indiana. It is still summer warm, but the days are getting shorter. 

October is a great month. It starts in the summer and ends with Halloween. Halloween is probably the second most decorated holiday (behind Christmas). This year, the inflated decorations seem to be the biggest hit. Some are scary looking, but big balloons are mostly just fun.

October is football season and pumpkin spice time. Caramel apples. Apple cider and apple cider slushies.

Enjoy! 

Fun, Fieldtrips, and Finds:

Octoberr 3-4: Carmel Clay Public Library Book Sale: Fill your shelves with some great and not so great finds.

Decorate your porch and home with pumpkins picked fresh from the pumpkin patch. Here are the picks of the patches for Hamilton County. Family fall pictures are always a hit when posing with a pumpkin! 

 Find a Fall Festivals and Fun in Hamilton county continue! 

American English and Culture: changing verbs into nouns

In our classes, we are noticing particular English language developmental trends. Suddenly everyone is using gerunds and infinitives. Is it our conversation or are we getting fancy?

In American English, verbs (action words) cam be magically turned into nouns (naming words-See! There it just happened.) When this happens it could be a gerund or an infinitive.

Gerund: I like playing.   A word that is formed by adding -ing that turns a verb into a noun.

Infinitive: I like to play.   The word “to” is added before the verb and it becomes a noun. 

Both infinitives and gerunds can function as the subject or object of the sentence.

Another magical addition to verbs that change them into nouns is to add "-er" (or in some cases "-or") to the end.

play becomes player

walk becomes walker 

 Geek out about gerunds and infinitives:

Gingersoftware

Grammarly

International Friends Meeting Notes

Join us! Click here to register.

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

We enjoyed reading Exodus 17-18 and the poetic recount of the Israelites escape from Pharoah and his armys in the the Red Sea. 

October 6: We begin with Exodus 19.

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

We explored our common interest in shopping. By asking and answering open-ended questions (which one, what kind, how many, how much, who, what, when, where, why, how), we kept the conversation moving, made connections, and drew conclusions. We had fun playing a grammar memory game to practice talking about our likes and dislikes: “I love to read. I love reading.” As we got to know each other better, we also reviewed pronouns, past and present tense, and new vocabulary. We love idioms! Do you know these: scratch the surface, open a can of worms, stick with it, worn out?

October 9: Do your homework. These little exercises are designed to reinforce what we covered today and send you on your way.

Write three sentences to review the pattern we drilled today. Try using these verbs: hate/dislike/can’t stand/don't care for, begin/start, continue, prefer. Do they follow the same pattern?

For example:

• They hate skiing. They hate to ski.
• He began studying at lunch. He began to study at lunch.
• She continued to work at the office. She continued working at the office.
• We prefer to drive to the meeting. I prefer driving to the meeting.
• I can’t stand having too much stuff (not stuffs) in my purse. I can’t stand to have too much stuff.

Keep a list of adjectives/describing words that you use this week as you think or talk about people, places, and things. Be ready to share your list next week. Example: Carolyn is the nicest, kindest, smartest, wisest, most generous person I know.

Think of some animal idioms (either in English or in your home language) to share. We have several idioms in English about pigs (lipstick on a pig, when pigs fly, pearls before swine, wrestle with a pig.)

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

Sentences on the board are a great way to talk about American English and Culture. We are able to spot trends in hearing, pronunciation, and common threads. As English knowledge and skills develop, trends and patterns develop. 

October 9: Continue writing three sentences a day about your day (21 a week). Read over your past sentences. Are you noticing trends? Can you make corrections? Do you have any questions about your sentences? We will talk about them next week.

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

We looked up the Nine Tailed Fox. We discovered that this animal is part of the folk lore of China, Korea, and Japan. In China and Korea the fox is not someone you would want to run across. It is a shape shifter that takes on the form of many things to trick people. It is a clever animal.

We also discovered some oddities in the description of the fox in the translation of the Wikipedia article from Japanese to English. We found the great word: attribution which is either a particular trait or something that is credited to something or someone. This is a great word to go with the Nine Tailed Fox because of its clever abilities as well as the fact that people can use the fox as an excuse.

October 10: We will talk about electricity. Study up!

Words and Phrases

a hit: a popular event or thing 

common threads: bits and pieces of things people do the same way

finds: treasures or valuable goods or interesting events

keep [a list]: write things down 

kept the conversation moving: continue talking 

looked up: researched 

object [of a sentence]: the noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that receives the action of the verb or completes the meaning of a preposition 

study up: get prepared 

Hello, October. One of our favorite months!

 Click here to go to our website.

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

Join us! Click here to register.

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

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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

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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