News Search

News

Internship program bridges cultural, language gap

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brooke P. Beers
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Nine new friendly faces are on base this month for the Kadena Language Institute program.

Second year students from KLI were selected to be interns and will be working at various locations around Kadena Air Base to improve their English conversation skills.

"I'm very excited to be doing this," said Yui Mekawa, a KLI intern, who will be working at Crafty Things for the next month. "Everyone is very kind and teaching me English. If I have trouble they help me."

KLI is a two-year vocational school where students ages 19-24 learn many different languages including English, and study Okinawan culture.

For the first week, Mekawa learned about frame making and has been helping out in the frame works section with whatever they may need.

"It's been great having her here," said Melisa Randell, who works with Mekawa in frame works. "She's been participating and we've been having very good conversations."

The internship program is for second year students and has been hosted by Kadena for the past 13 years. Along with practicing English conversation skills, the interns will also be able to learn about English-style business and American culture.

"This internship not only helps the students with English-style business and their conversation skills," said Keiko Toma, 18th Wing Public Affairs community relations specialist, "it also gives military members a great opportunity to spend time with Okinawan students and learn their culture as well."