Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand -- During the recent Cope Tiger exercise, U.S. Marines, Navy and Air Force personnel visited a local school to test run an educational social network Web site created by an Iwakuni-based Marine on his spare time while on deployment here in support of the exercise.
Cpl. Eric McIntyre, a ground supply property noncommissionedofficer-in-charge with Marine Aircraft Group 12 and creator of Connecwork.com, organized and led a visit to Boonwattana secondary school to test the new Web site created to connect students learning English with English speakers from around the world.
Iwakuni-based Marines and sailors of MAG-12, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 were among the service members teaching the students how to use the new social networking Web site.
McIntyre said why not construct a social network to create a relationship between the armed forces and the students of Boonwattana secondary school to help their studies of the English language?
Connecwork.com features a discussion forum where users can learn from each other’s language, religion, and way of life. The Web site also features educational games and a homework help-line discussion forum open for students of all ages.
While the Web site was created to connect the Thai students of Boonwattana secondary school with English speaking service members, it can also be used by anyone around the world wanting to learn a new language directly from a native speaker.
"People and go online and meet new friends, connect to other countries and learn another language and culture in the process," said McIntyre. "With Connecwork.com you can figuratively visit that country any day. You can make friends and visit them - visiting their profile is like knocking on their door."
American service members spent the morning making new friends and creating profiles with the children of Boonwattana secondary school to stay connected and learn from each other from anywhere around the world.
Richard Bosson, an overseas English teacher at Boonwattana secondary school said, he hopes the American services members who came here as total strangers will realize that they now have friends and family they can stay in touch with through the Web site and visit whenever they want.
“The students here feel like they have new brothers and sisters,” said Bosson. “We would love it if every one of you could connect and make one or two new friends.”
Connecwork.com quickly grew through word-of-mouth and came to include people from six different countries during its trial run at the school.
“We want this to grow really big,” said Bosson. “People are going to benefit from this and make new friends worldwide.”
The students at the school eagerly participated in the trial run of Connecwork.com ready to learn and make new friends through the Web site.
“I think the Marines visiting us today are great,” said Patwijittra Somsri, a 13-year-old at Boonwattana secondary school. “I like being able to communicate with all types of people so I can learn from them.”
The school has plans to start a Connecwork.com club to encourage more students to create profiles and keep connected with different cultures.
Somsri said it's important to have friends all over the world so you can learn new and different things. McIntyre has plans to present the Web site to local schools in Iwakuni, Japan to further promote the growth of his new social networking Web site.