Honda Y-E-S Award in Vietnam
Partnership with The National Institute for Science and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies (NISTPASS) and Honda Vietnam Co., Ltd.
* Information concerning affiliation/profile of the awardee is current at the time he/she received the award.
Y-E-S Award Plus Recipient
Host institution/organization in Japan:
Kyoto University
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science
Graduate Achool of Engineering
Prof. Fumitoshi Matsuno
April 2017-2 years
One year ago, I left Vietnam for Japan. Up to then, I had always lived within 50 km from my hometown so it was the first time I could not just go home whenever I miss my family. Thus, arrived in Japan, beside the overwhelming happiness and excitement, I also felt lost and lonely.
Turned out, I should not have been so upset. The Japanese are very hospitable and accommodating. On my very first day in Japan, an elderly woman came to the ward office together with me just because I did not understand her Japanese when she told me the way. It is just one in countless occasions when people here willing to go out of their way to help me. But what the Japanese have given me goes far beyond that, it is much more than I have ever expected. Here I have a host family, a piano sensei, Japanese language sensei, an elderly friend who cares about me like my mom does. They are the Japanese closest to me and are all elderly people. They are kind to me in such a way that a passerby would say we are family members. Even my landlord and the
former owner of a restaurant where I used to go to frequently with my language sensei, they make me feel warm with their caring words and presents. Sometimes, I wonder how they could be so kind to me, and I really do not know the reasons. My professor told me that maybe it is because I am a good person, but I think I am just a lucky one. And I am so lucky that I found a big home in Japan.