I am still amazed about this country: the city, the system, the people, and the environment. It feels like I am dreaming now. My feeling is still in my hometown, although in fact I’m here! It is all so suddenly. Yesterday, I was still in Bandung, playing with my brother and sister, but then, in one night I traveled over 5000 km to Tokyo. It was the best flight I have ever had. For the first time I experienced aboard in wide-body airplane.
After arriving at Narita (outside Tokyo), I took a rapid train called “Skyliner”. The interior and the environment is like a sci-fi train for me. It was like a dream, until I heard: oneeechan! (a little girl shout out loudly) Yeah, her shout (which I usually hear it from dorama) wakes me up: I’m really in Japan.
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| During a flight of JL-726 |
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| At the Narita underground station |
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| Platform sign |
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| Inside the Skyliner |
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| In Yurikamome train |
The people also warm and kind. Oh, I’m sorry, they are really warm and really kind. My tutor, a student who is assigned to assist me, also is a very kind person (suddenly, I remembered my friend Romy, their styles look the same).
And, who said to me that Japanese can’t speak English well?
It is contradictory with what have I saw. Most Japanese whom I met has a good English. Sometimes I feel embarrassed because my English is not as good as theirs.
About academic life, even though the Spring semester haven’t begin yet, I can get a small picture about it. Today I was visiting Hongo campus, Todai main campus, to visit my lab and completing some administration matters regarding my status as newcomer and new student. In my first visit to Todai, whose large and beautiful campus (my tutor said that the style of the buildings were Victorian), I also see the academic life of the campus. The student are eager to learn. Discuss their research anytime. The supporting system, like the administration officer, also provides well service regarding academic matter. They are all working together to create a well-established academic system. Also in Komaba campus (I also visit it in same day), I have a lab tour that gives me an additional “wow” for academic life in this university. The research are useful. Supported by the latest technology. The environment also support the researcher to do their job well. Yeah, it was not an odd, of course, since Todai received the highest amount of funding for university in Japan and became the 4th richest university in the world.
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| In the front of Akamon Gate (Red Gate), one of Tokyo University’s gates, a famous place in Tokyo |
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| In front of IIS (Institute of Industrial Science), Komaba |
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| Can you see the cherry blossom blooms? Behind that mapple tree |
Living in Japan also challenging. Today I experienced a bad weather: strong wind and rain. That make me believe that a weather forecast is almost accurate. The weather forecast is important for all Japanese people, since they live in four season country, whose weather is very dynamic.
Me and my senior, Usama-san, got stuck in the station in Central Tokyo. The next train line which we should ride in, were closed due to the bad weather. We were waiting for two hours. One hour doing nothing in station and one hour waiting in the train that never run that evening (we know it later).
But, finally, after asking a question to train oficer about alternative route to reach our dormitory, we can go home.
It is just two days I have been stayed here, but there are plenty of experienced I could capture and store in my memory. I realize that my journey has just begin. I am shinzanmono!
