Host institution/organization in Japan:
Kyushu University
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research
Assistant Prof. Nguyen Dinh Hoa
Sep-Dec 2018

During almost 3 months in Fukuoka, despite being a crowded, busy country, I felt safe and at a peace everywhere I went. Japan made me feel like everything was good again. I was very lucky when I had a chance to study at Ito campus, Kyushu university which is located in one of the most peaceful cities of Japan. I had heard that almost Japanese is very friendly and enthusiastic, but I really believe that until a Japanese man guided me around a large mall to find an electrical converter device because I do not know Japanese or a Japanese woman helped me when I went up to the wrong bus. An old man who was a staff at Kyushu university spent almost one day to take a group of international students including me to hang out at Oita prefecture with his car. Additionally, Japanese culture is pretty much known world-wide for their courtesy and etiquette rules. I went into the country expecting this, and I was not surprised when I saw it myself. For instances, train conductors walking through from car to car, bowing to the passengers, commuters queuing up in lines to either side of the train doors to avoid cutting in line and people stand left-side when using an escalator. Of course, not everyone and not everything displays this hypnotic attitude, but it was an aspect of the culture that I felt pervaded everywhere, whether or not obvious. I really love life and research environment in Japan and I hope that I can receive a new chance to come back Fukuoka to study in the future.