LIHU‘E — A protocol sister city courtesy visit with Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami turned into an unexpected real life learning lesson at the Mo‘ikeha Building on Thursday.
A 14-member delegation, which included 11 students from Suo Oshima and Ishigaki, came to visit Kawakami during the group’s two-week visit that includs learning English and Hawaiian culture.
“Oshima and Ishigaki are two of the four sister city relationships Kaua‘i has with Japan,” said Art Umezu who serves as a liaison with the Japanese visitors. “These relationship are about 60 years old.”
Umezu spoke about the importance of the students’ efforts at learning English when he revealed that he is personally involved with the hospital in translating for a Japanese visitor who was pulled from the water, unconscious.
According to a county press release, a surfer pulled a male snorkeler from the water off Lawai Beach on Wednesday at about 12:35 p.m.
Firefighters responding to the dispatch report administered CPR on the unconscious visitor. Additionally, fire personnel utilized the Lucas device and AED before American Medical Response personnel arrived.
The victim, a 66-year-old man from Japan, was transported to the hospital where he remained in critical condition.
“He doesn’t speak English,” Umezu said. “I have to leave after this visit to help his wife who also doesn’t speak English.”
Kawakami added that while on a trip to Japan, his family became separated from the traveling party and became lost.
People passing by recognized the family’s plight and walked them back to the hotel in a true sense of aloha.
Umezu imposed on the students of the need to learn English to help themselves in situations, or to help others.
The gravity of the visit was broken with Kawakami doing card tricks and discussions of the recent Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa bon dance, where the students revealed the Kaua‘i dancers do a lot of the same dances, and were thrilled when the Suo Oshima Ondo was played and danced to at the event.
One of the chaperones said the students also learned a new song, “Beautiful Sunday,” that they danced to while showering, and will take back home to show their parents.
The students, who each had an English introduction prepared, included Ayano Matsuda, Kokomi Kitani, Akari Amakawa, Mira Akiyama, Anna Kimura, Nishiki Nosaka, Wako Nishimura, Hana Shiratori, Mari Maetsu, Itsuki Maemori and Minosoko Honoka.
The chaperones included Mari Hamahashi, Ken Miyazaki and Mariko Ishikawa.
