Pfc. Antwain J. Graham
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa (July 25, 2008) -- Communicating in a foreign language can be difficult, however, several resources are available to make the process easier for Status of Forces Agreement personnel on Okinawa desiring to learn the Japanese language and customs.
Learning the Japanese language and culture allows personnel to better communicate with locals, allowing for a richer understanding and more enjoyable experience in Japan, according to officials with the Marine Corps Community Services Personal Services Center.
Personal Services Centers on Okinawa, located on Camps Foster and Hansen, and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, offer free monthly courses that teach the basics of the Japanese language and culture.
Students who have taken the course are thankful for the opportunity, said Erika Vaughan, PSC operational readiness support program coordinator.
"Feedback is always positive, people really appreciate the classes," she said.
Students first attend "Survival Japanese," a one-hour class focused on basic day-to-day dialogue, before moving on to more advanced classes.
With Japanese levels two and three, students are given a more detailed look into the structure of the language, the culture, as well as the history and geography of Japan, said Vaughan.
Another resource available for SOFA personnel to learn Japanese is the Lifelong Learning Program offered at the University of Maryland University College.
The university offers intermediate to advanced language courses at the Education Center on Foster.
The course is $585 plus the cost of books, according to Bob Stenard, supervisory guidance counselor for the Lifelong Learning Program. However, service members may use tuition assistance to cover the cost, he added.
One student currently attending the course said he is surprised at the quick progress he has made in the class.
"The class is great," said Master Sgt. Miroslaw Zuczkeiwicz. "I have learned more here in the past month and a half than I have in the past five years."
2008-07-25
Learning Japanese key to enjoying Okinawan culture
2008-07-11
mccs TV: Mivako Islands
Visit the coastal paradise for a variety of underwater creatures and the stopover point for numerous migratory birds in this episode of Okinawa Guide. The Miyako Islands have a fascinating geological history and in this episode you will learn what makes living here so interesting.
2008-07-04
mccs TV: Awamori
July 8, 11 am. & 6 p.m.
Drink it straight, on ice, or as the base of your favorite cocktail mix. Awamori is to Okinawa like vodka is to Russia and it is quickly growing in popularity around the world. Learn all about the distilled liquors history and the best ways to enoy it in your own home in this episode of Okinawa Guide.
2008-07-03
The Wish List
Here’s a list of the top ten things you must do while you’re on Okinawa.
1) Learn to Dive
Get scuba certified at a Tsunami Gear SCUBA Center and then dive every chance you get. Pick up a copy of Okinawa Outdoors magazine.
2) Participate in or support The Single Marine Program
If you’re an unaccompanied Marine or Sailor between the ages of 18 and 25, take part in the Single Marine Program. You can get your quality- of-life issues addressed and recommend new or improved programs, services, or events offered by MCCS, AAFES, and the USO. Call 645-3681 for details.
3) Participate in a Sports Tournament
Compete in MCCS athletic tournaments, which are offered in almost every sport. Schedules appear in the Source.
4) Get Educated
MCCS Lifelong Learning centers offer classes that count toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree from one of five universities, as well as various certification programs. You can also take classes via distance learning.
5) Get in Shape
Get fit using the MCCS fitness centers and athletic programs. Fitness centers are located on each base, and various athletic programs are also available. Free group fitness classes are held at each of the camps, and personal trainers can assist you in achieving your fitness goals.
6) Learn the Local Language and Culture
MCCS Personal Services Centers offer a variety of Japanese language and culture classes, including Japanese calligraphy, washi (Japanese paper art(, and cooking. Classes are free to all SOFA personnel.
7) Tour Asia
Take a tour of Okinawa and nearby destinations. MCCS Tours+ not only shows you the island, but also offers travel to exotic destinations such as Hong Kong, China, Australia, and Thailand. Call 645-3502 for details.
8) Learn Karate
Okinawa is the birthplace of karate, so where better to learn martial arts? Contact your local fitness center for details.
9) Sample Local Foods
Sample Asian foods at your MCCS clubs and restaurants. Menus include a variety of local favorites. Also, check out the monthly restaurant review in Okinawa Living magazine, which features off-base dining and the restaurant coupons in the Source.
10) Have Fun!
MCCS takes pride in helping to Make Okinawa Home” for those stationed here. However, to truly make the best of your stay here on Okinawa, go outside the gates and experience the island’s fascinating culture and meet the friendly local population.
2008-05-26
B. Y. O. B.
FREE Open Water SCUBA Classes
Just bring a buddy, purchase learning materials from any MCCS Tsunami SCUBA facility, and attend all classes together.
* When two people sign up for classes together, one receives FREE tuition.
April 1 - May 26
For complete requirements and details visit www.mccsokinawa.com, or call 645—4206.
It's a Family Affair - FREE Open Water SCUBA classes
Tsunami SCUBA is promoting safe diving practices with FREE Open Water SCUBA classes for children (age 10 & over) when both parents sign up at regular price.
Just bring your family, purchase learning materials from any MCCS Tsunami SCUBA facility, and attend all classes together.
For complete requirements and details visit www.mccsokinawa.com, or call 645—4206.
2008-05-25
Event: Camp Schwab Festival 2008
May 24, 3-10 p.m. May 25, 1-10 p.m.
- FREE Admission
- LIVE Entertainment (Saliva & Puddle of Mudd)
- Game Booths and Rides
- Kiddie Land
- Local and Cultural Food
One of Two (2) tickets to one of
five U.S. destinations or a
seating class upgrade!
Courtesy of
UNITED &
OMEGA WORLD TRAVEL
This festival is open to everyone Island-wide Free shuttle buses will provide transportation to and from designated parking lot on Camp Schwab. For more information call MCCS Special Events at 645-5828.
2008-05-22
FOSTER BOWLING CENTER - Mulligans TOURNAMENT
7 PM
ENTRY FEE: $20
BOWL FOUR GAMES AND DROP THE LOWEST GAME FOR YOUR HIGHEST SERIES. SIGN-UPS 011W-IFS WILL BE TAKEN THE NIGHT OF THE TORUNAMENT STARTING AT 5 P.M.
Hong Kong GETAWAY
$1,250 per person*
based on double occupancy
(single supplement charge $250*)
$1,175 per person*
based on triple occupancy
CHILDREN
(AGES 2—11)
$1,050*
(with 2 adults)
$1,100*
(with 1 adult)
(Under the Age of 2)
$300*
(if no aircraft seat and no bed required)
*Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in the exchange rate.
We require a 25% deposit to hold your reservation. Full payment is due by April 21, 2008.
Must have a valid passport that does not expire before November 26, 2008.
Cancellation Policy:
Patrons will receive a full refund if their reservations are cancelled by April 21, 2008. Refunds cannot be granted after this date. Cancellations for unavoidable emergencies such as death of a family member, illness, accident, or military orders will be given full consideration by Tours+ but will still obligate the customer to any cancellation fees incurred through airlines and/or tour
operators. MCCSTours+ will make every effort to adhere to the itinerary. However, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary for reasons beyond our control. Tours+ has the right to cancel the tour if minimum reservations are not met.
Days Before Tour, Penalty
16—29, 30% of total cost
6—15, 50% of total cost
0—5, 100% of total cost
Itinerary
May 22 - Meet in front of the Foster Education Center for departure to Naha Airport. Check in at hotel upon arrival. Remainder of day is free.
May 23 - Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, enjoy a half-day tour of Hong Kong. Rest of day is free.
May 24 - Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Free day. (Tours optional)
May 25 - Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Check out and prepare for departure to Okinawa.
Tour price includes round trip airfare, transportation, hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, half-day tour of Hong Kong, and a tour leader.
For more information, or to make a reservation, contact MCCS Tours+.
Camp Foster...................................646-3502
Camp Hansen.................................623-6344
Camp Kinser...................................637-2744
2008-05-11
MOTHER’S DAY SUNDAY BRUNCH
KINSER SURFSIDE
Adult $13.50, Children $5.50
BUTLER O’CLUB
Adult $15.50. Children $7.75
THIRSTY’S
Adult $10.95, Children $5.50
AWASE MEADOWS
Adult $12.95, Children $6.95
Mother’s Day Brunch
It’s recognized the world over that there’s really no way to fully thank our mothers for the lifetime of love, support, and guidance they provide. And it’s just as impossible to conceive of all the things for which they deserve to be thanked. However, treating your mom to a special Mother’s Day brunch at an MCCS club on May 11 is one very pleasant way to express the thanks that often go unspoken for both small deeds and large.
At the Butler Officers’ Club your mom can enjoy a scrumptious brunch of breakfast fare, fresh fruit, baked ham, roast turkey, and superb house-made desserts. Adults eat for $15.50 and children for $7.75. At Kinser Surfside a similarly delicious meal will be served for $13.50 for adults and $5.50 for children.
At the Awase Meadows Restaurant adults can dine for $12.95 and children for $6.95. Special Mother’s Day cuisine will be available, including made-to- order eggs and omelets, a platter of bacon, ham, and sausage, country potatoes with homemade gravy, biscuits, grits, pancakes, breads, oatmeal, and fresh fruit.
At Thirsty’s Enlisted Club a lavish spread will include chicken, beef, and fish entrees. Eggs Benedict and omelets will also be available. Tasty desserts will include crepes, Danish pastries, and cakes. Adults can enjoy this brunch for $10.94 and children for $5.50.
Brunches are open to all ranks and services. Marine Corps ID card holders can receive $3 off adult and $1 off children’s brunch prices.
2008-05-10
Courtney Arts & Crafts - Mother's Day Ikebana
May 10 - 3 p.m.Fee: $20
Courtney Arts & Crafts, 622-7492
COURTNEY ARTS & CRAFTS - Mother's Day Ikebana Class
May 10 • 3p.m. FEE: $20*
THIS YEAR, MAKE YOUR OWN FLOWER ARRANGEMENT FOR MOM. KIDS 12 YEARS AND OLDER CAN SIGN UP. YOUNGER CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT TO PARTICIPATE. SEATING IS LIMITED. SO SIGN UP BY SUNDAY, MAY 4.
*PRICE INCLUDES FLOWERS, EQUIPMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
2008-05-09
MCCS seeks to grow lifeguard staff to meet summer demands at base pools
Lance Cpl. Joseph A. Cabrera
OKINAWA MARINE STAFF
CAMP FOSTER — Marine Corps Community Services Semper Fit Aquatics recently began free monthly lifeguard certification classes on Camp Hansen and Camp Foster to help meet the approaching summer demand for lifeguards.
The courses are scheduled to take place Friday through Sunday for two consecutive weeks. The current course began May 2 and is scheduled to end May 11.
Many students currently in the course said they plan to apply for jobs at one of the 12 MCCS pool facilities on Okinawa once they get certified.
Students in the program will receive a lifeguard and first aid certification from the American Red Cross, valid for three years. Students will also receive American Red Cross certifications for CPR, use of the automated external defibrillator and blood borne pathogen prevention, valid for one year.
The course covers injury prevention, patron surveillance, emergency preparation, rescue skills and respiratory and cardiac emergency treatment. The course also covers first aid for muscle, bone, joint, head, neck and back injuries.
“Lifeguards are professionals trained to save lives.” said Scott Burton, head lifeguard instructor and Camp Hansen pool manger. The most important part of the course is learning rescue skills, he said. “If the lifeguard can react sooner, there is less of a need for CPR.”
The course also covers the legal issues of consent, Good Samaritan laws, negligence and how those topics affect decision making poolside, said Ashley Leeper, lifeguard instructor and Camp Courtney pool manager.
“Not a lot of people realize what a lifeguard actually does,” said Leeper
To create a safe environment for pool patrons, lifeguards are also responsible for checking safety and rescue equipment, pump rooms. floor tiles, and anything that could jeopardize patron safety in and around the pool area.
Burton said the skills the students learn in this course are not Okinawa specific and can be used at MCCS swimming facilities worldwide.
Also, students in the course may be preparing for other occupations that require a background as a lifeguard, such as swim coaches and camp counselors. Burton said. Some people may use life guarding as a stepping stone to become an emergency medical technician.
Most state parks and beaches accept the American Red Cross certification, depending on the type of waterfront, he said.
For more information about upcoming lifeguard courses and locations, visit the MCCS Okinawa Web site at http://www.mccsokinawa.com.
2008-05-08
Butler Officer's Club - Family Fun Night
May 8 • 5:30—9 p.m.Taco Night
Adults $7.95, Children (5—11) $3.95, Children (under 4) FREE
Butler Officers’ Club, 645-7530
2008-05-05
Dragon Boat Races TOUR
$18 per adult
CHILDREN (3—11)
$11 per child
(0—2)
$5 per child
Cancellation Policy
Refunds for tours will only be granted to customers who cancel their reservation no later than two days before the tour date. Exceptions will be granted only for medical emergencies and duty obligation with written verification. MCCS Tours+ reserves the right to cancel tours if minimum reservation requirements are not met.
10 a.m.—6 p.m.
Experience Okinawan culture at one of the most well-known, well-attended events on island. Watch as teams (including those representing the U.S. military branches) entertain spectators with numerous races. Between races, enjoy live music, shows, street vendors, food booths, and games. Sign up at your local MCCS Tours+ office.
Camp Foster 646.3502, Mon-Sat, 9 a.m.—5 p.m.
Camp Hansen 623-6344, Mon—Wed, Fri, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Camp Kinser 637-2744, Fri, 9 a.m.—5 p.m.
2008-05-03
mccs TV: GUSUKU
GUSUKU
Tuesday. 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Gususku means "castle” or “fortress” in the Okinawan language and on this small island there are two standing gusukus and almost one dozen gusuku ruins to visit. Some of them are so important to the culture and history of the Ryukyu Islands that UNESCO has listed them as World Heritage Sites. In this episode of Okinawa Guide find out why these cultural treasures are being preserved.
Don Purdy, Kathy Millette, Shelley Merrell
hot jobs (2 May)
Supporting our Warfighters and their families.
Great job opportunities with MCCS.
NF-02
Audio Visual Production Assistant
NF-03
Auto Services Coordinator
NF-02
Budget Technician
NF-03
Library Technician
NF-02
For more information, visit www.mccsokinawa.com and click the Jobs link.
Tsunami SCUBA - Dive into Great savings!
* Kayak Blowout *May 16-26
Sherwood product demos and Q&A on Saturday, May 24
on the island's largest inventory of SCUBA & snorkeling equipment *
TSUNAMI SCUBA
Okinawa, Japan
For more information, call your local Tsunami SCUBA.
2008-05-02
Ocean Expo Park offers rare peek at aquatic life
** NOTE: The captions for the photos in this article incorrectly identify the false killer whale (pseudorca crassidens) in the Okichan Theatre performance (NOT a pilot whale) & the fossil jaws of the megalodon shark (NOT of a great white).
Lance Cpl. Richard Blumenstein
okinawa marine staff
Averaging 25 feet in length, weighing up to 15 tons, with huge mouths that can open up to 4-feet wide, whale sharks are the largest fish on earth.
They are also a key attraction at Okinawa’s Ocean Expo Park, and the giant fish made a lasting impression on a group of people who visited the park during a trip to the park hosted by Marine Corps Community Services April 11.
Cpl. Matthew J. Vasquez and his wife Wilikinia both said the giant fish were the park’s most awe-inspiring attractions, and most in the group echoed their sentiment.
Ocean Expo Park, located on the western edge of Okinawa’s Motobu peninsula, is a major tourist attraction on Okinawa and is home to several subsections, including the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
One of the aquarium’s main displays, the Kuroshio (Black Current) Sea tank, is massive. It is 10 meters deep (about 33 feet), 35 meters wide (about 115 feet) and 27 meters long (about 89 feet). Aside from the whale sharks, the tank contains a number of aquatic animals native to the Kuroshio (the warm undersea ocean current that supports the Okinawa underwater ecosystem) depth region including manta rays, sea turtles and countless schools of tropical fish.
The tank is constructed with a transparent wall, 35 meters wide (about 115 feet) and 60 centimeters thick (about two feet), that allows visitors see an amazing view of the ocean life.
“The whale sharks made me seem like an ant,” said 12-year old Jariah Tolbert. “They were amazing.”
Ocean Expo Park was the site of the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition, a 1975 event concerning oceanographic cultures, technology, and marine life. The park features several areas of interest, each containing distinctive themes focused on aquatic life, history and nature. The vast park has many exhibits and shows that can keep patrons busy all day.
On the MCCS tour, visitors all started with a trip through the aquarium but then went their separate ways. Some continued to explore the aquarium in depth while others ventured off into other areas including the Oceanic Culture Museum, the Native Okinawan Village, Emerald Beach, the Tropical Dream Center and the Tropical & Subtropical Arboretum.
For most of the children, and a few others on the tour, the comical antics of dolphin species, such as the pilot whale, at the aquarium’s Okichan Theater proved to be another favorite.
“It was pretty cool when the dolphin actually came on stage and stuck his tongue out,” Army Capt. Jeremy B. Robert said. “I’d never seen anything like that before.”
Elsewhere in the park, close encounters with in the Shark Research Lab was the highlight for 6-year old Daniel Locke III.
The lab houses an aquatic tank full of various kinds of sharks and is full of shark skeletons, including the jaw of a great white shark.
“I’d never been that close to a shark before,” Daniel said. “It was cool.”
In the Okinawan Village, the Vasquezes got hands-on experience in mastering one of their favorite lullabies on a Sanshin, a traditional Okinawan instrument similar to a banjo.
“We spent most of our time in the Okinawan Village,” Wilikinia said. “They taught us how to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’.”
The village replicates Ryukyuan dwellings found on Okinawa during the 17th and 18th centuries and presents visitors with a chance to experience ancient Okinawan culture and explore the ancient homes.
There is no fee to enter Ocean Expo Park, but aquarium tickets are ¥1,800 for adults and ¥1,200 for high-school students. A few other attractions in the park also have admission
fees. A complete list of attractions, show times and admission fees are available on the park’s
Web site at http://www.kaiyouhaku.com/en/index.html.
To get to the park, take the Okinawa Expressway north to its final exit near Nago City. Exit on Highway 58 and follow the signs to the park.
