Manama, Bahrain – Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain and the U.S. Embassy in Manama welcomed Bahraini students from the English Access Micro-Scholarship Program (Access) to NSA Bahrain on January 16.
The visit was coordinated as part of the NSA Bahrain Community Relations (COMREL) program, which aims to serve local communities through coordinated events and activities to celebrate and strengthen the long-standing partnership between the U.S. Navy and the Kingdom of Bahrain. focused.
The event gave Bahraini students the opportunity to interact with seafarers in a casual environment, increasing communication skills and mutual understanding between the two communities.
“It was an opportunity for them to immerse themselves in the all-English world.”
” said Kim Chilmonik, regional English officer at the U.S. Embassy in Manama. “Access students learned about the different jobs, roles and responsibilities of seafarers and received training in fire safety.
I also went to the fire station and practiced my skills at the bowling alley. ”
The Access Program is a free two-year scholarship program offered by the U.S. Embassy that provides students with a foundation to develop English language proficiency, life skills, and leadership skills. This program provides a rich personal development experience and community service activities in your home country.
Students had one-on-one discussions with sailors about a wide range of topics and key points about the Navy and American culture, stimulating their English conversation and improving their communication skills while forming new friendships.
“Today was a lot of fun. I met new people, discovered new information and new things,” said Fatima Rashed, one of the Bahraini students in the Access program. It was great to be able to practice my accent. ”
Yeoman 2nd Class Robin White enjoyed the unique opportunity to meet Bahraini students while forging new bonds with the local community.
“It was a very humbling and grounding experience to meet the kids,” White said. “We talked about games, music and movies. I thought back to my own childhood and what days like this meant to me when I was younger.”
NSA Bahrain Commander Colonel Zakaria Appelauchi met with the students and proudly demonstrated what the NSA Bahrain team does on a daily basis.
“Having students onboard NSA Bahrain allowed us to show them our Bahrain.”
Brothers and sisters, what are we doing?And now we needed to learn more about
So do they. Our partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain has been ongoing for over 50 years and this is one of many opportunities to strengthen that relationship. ”
NSA Bahrain’s mission is to support U.S. and coalition maritime operations throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations by providing security for ships, aircraft, and tenants of NSA Bahrain and assigned detachments. . NSA Bahrain provides efficient and effective ground services to sustain our fleet, strengthen our warfighters, and support our families with honor, courage, and dedication.