SAKURA EXCHANGE PROGRAM

This week, Prof. Thanh and his students from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology went to Japan for Sakura Exchange Program. It was all luck for me because I had a chance to meet Prof. Thanh – my supervisor in Vietnam.

By having the opportunity to go abroad, this program had a great meaning because students could learn new approach of water treatment technology, culture and people in Japan. They visited many famous places in Nagasaki such as China Town, Glover Garden and many shopping malls. Moreover, they also made new friends from other universities and countries. Especially, through this program, they become aware of career and further study options they have not thought of before.

About me, I felt delighted to meet Prof. Thanh. It was really a great pleasure for me to taking him to visit many places and enjoy dinners in Japan. It was unforgettable days.

Sakura exchange program opens more opportunities for Vietnamese students to improve their knowledge. Many thanks to Nagasaki University and Prof. Fujioka. 

Taken at Nagasaki University

Taken at Glover Garden

Taken at China Town

Taken at Nagasaki station shopping mall

Taken at Ramen shop

Spring is coming

This winter in Nagasaki has been reported to be one of the coldest ever seen. Snow precipitation has appeared so many time which affect a bit the living condition. For me who never experimented this weather it was not easy to handle the cold. I remember the first snowing day I had fallen because of the slippery nature of roads but fortunately I didn’t get injured. What is amazing during the winter is the behavior of the vegetation; all the trees lost their leaf and then adopt another type of life. Actually, what can tell us that the winter is ending is the appearance of the first flower which are almost white. So, this new climate sounds more kind, a bit sunny and cold. It has arrived me sometimes to hangout on weekend with my African friend and enjoy the sunlight. My friend and I also went to coco walk cinema to watch the new movie named black panther which is the first black super hero film. I really enjoyed it with my friends and some Japanese people I met there. Thus, during my trip in Fukuoka for visa purposes I met a Japanese old man with a nice kimono; I talked with him and asked some question about Japanese culture. He was very opened mind and friendly. We discussed around thirty minutes and took a picture for souvenir. Finally, I can say that this spring will be very rich in event and I pray the most high to make it great like its flowers are.

Picture took in Fukuoka

In toho cinema with african friends

Took in nagasaki university

Author: Sidy Ka

Graduate education in Japan.

Well, going for graduate education itself can be stressful in any country or any university, Japan is nothing special in this aspect.

I came from a far away country to pursue studies in Japan, I came for graduate school of engineering. Now look at it! coming from a developing country, to Japan, to do what again? Engineering!!? where, again? Japan, one of the technology monsters on this planet!!

September 2016, I landed in Japan, few days later, started my Masters' program. It was a very normal experience! I never felt an extra-ordinary and no special stress ! I mean, common, it's graduate school it should be stressful a little, here and there, yes that was the case. Stress goes up and down:

• You need to work harder from time to time, just as any other mainstream university!
• You may feel low, during times when you have no progress in your research.
• But you enjoy your student life as well, go out with friends, play sports, travel, engage in a healthy social life.
• You have hard times because of the Japanese language, but hey, that's a good motivation to learn it the hard way.
•  You may feel homesick and this is applicable on any other foreign country.

That's almost all what I can recall, nothing to worry about.

Studying in Japan is normal, two years will vanish after the first few months in your university, get ready get prepared and good luck.

Author: Ronald Katalo.

I have a friend! (well, many, but some are special)

One of the best things that happened to me when I come to Japan is to meet new friends. I’ve never had international friends before, so the experience brought me special memories and feelings. I met many friends from dormitory, from master course, in Japanese classes and from my part-time job. Because I will graduate soon, in several months, I would like to write about them, to appreciate them who helped me had a meaningful two-year-stay in Japan

Nam Duhyun

The first person I met in dormitory! We stayed in the same dorm for 6 months. He sometimes knocked on my door at night just to ask if I have any problem about school, life, study etc. I just wondered why he cared about that until I found out he was tutor of dormitory and he was in the same master course! Later I received lots of help from him: introducing around campus, filling out Japanese documents (usually when engaging any activity, we have to submit plenty of documents, and I would be lost without his help), finding new accommodation after moving out of dorm. He even spent hours helping me carry luggage on the moving day! Perhaps he is one of the kindest person I’ve ever met. One thing I was inspired by him was his ability to use Japanese fluently. Since then, I dedicate my free time to learn the language so that I can become helpful someday like him. He  has graduated for one year now and went back to Korea.

Nam-san (middle), Park-san (left, Thai student, very close friend with Nam, also my roommate) and me. It was a little farewell dinner before Nam-san went back to Korea

Ronnie

His full name is Katalo Ronald, but sometimes we call him Ronnie. He is an interesting guy from Uganda, Africa. I met him in the very first day of the master course, and we also have same supervisor, A/Prof. Fujioka. In the first month, in most of our conversations, I just kept smiling whenever he spoke because I could not understand his English. I had a theory, his English was too difficult or my English was so poor that I could not catch up. But anyway, now I can follow his jokes and pep talks so properly the language barrier has vanished. I don't usually meet him outside of university so all I see about him is that he is a dedicate student. I have seen him working on his computer, writing, making presentations... Well, indeed, I lost my patience seeing him editing things super slowly! But in the end, he always finished things faster than me. I respect him for his consistency, doing any task thoroughly and seemingly nothing can pull him out when he is focusing on something. When he has nothing to do, he talks a lot, and sometimes it felt annoying. However, if you have something to share, or you need some advice in life, then he is the right person to talk to. He really knows how to talk people out of their mental stress and usually he gives good advice. That is just my personal feeling; perhaps people would feel the same. 

Ronnie (left)  and his new friend, Sidy Ka. They seem to have interesting discussions.

Hiroshi

Japanese student, bachelor, and will join WEE course next April, 2018. He always seem to be busy with lots of activities but never too busy to help other international students. He speaks English pretty well and we often have chats about languages, life and culture in Vietnam and Japan, planing of future and many others. We had some good time collaborating on a project about forward osmosis spacers. To me, he is the most friendly Japanese I have ever met.

Hiroshi Yamazaki (most right). It was a workshop where he and his teammates demonstrate a small research about developing spacer for forward osmosis membrane.

Updated March 23rd: Graduation day, congrats to Hiroshi !!

I would never forget to mention my dear Vietnamese friends who kept me from being lonely and exhausted. We have many trips together, we share almost everything in our daily life in Japan. Thank you for the time being together. I will be the first one to graduate, so I will be missing our Saturday dinners. 

Dinner at our favorite ramen shop. We often visit this place not only because of the wonderful taste of every dish served, but also because of the warm welcome of the shop owner (first row, most right). The shop can be easily seen on google map by searching "ramen motomura"

Apricot blossom in Vietnam

Apricot blossom

Just like Japan is famous for Sakura (cherry blossom), our country also has tradition flowers for New Year Festival. If the peach flower is the symbol of Lunar New Year in the north, then the yellow apricot flower is its counterpart in the South. The yellow apricot flower belongs to the family of hoang mai (meaning “yellow apricot” in Chinese), which is a forest plant. 

The trunk and sprigs of the yellow apricot flower are suppler than those of the peach plant. The flowers grow in bunches and have stalks that hang loosely near the branches at the side of the leaves. The flowers are yellow and their scent is modestly secretive. The leaves of the yellow apricot flower fall in the winter. There are varieties of yellow apricot, including “mai tu qui” (apricot of all seasons) and “nhi do mai”, which begin to produce red coloured fruit after blossoming.

“Mai chieu thuy”, the aquatic variety of apricot flower, have small leaves and small flowers that blossom in white, scented bunches. Mai chieu thuy, which blossoms in the spring, is generally planted in small rock gardens. Its trunk and branches are trimmed and bent so that it becomes a sculptured plant.

The apricot plant, which is planted to give flowers on the occasion of the New Year is planted from seeds or by the grafting of branches. The plant can be planted in gardens, in flowerbeds, or in pots. It can only bloom in the spring and when it happens, the flowers will give a pleasant aroma in the garden.