Beginning of a new life:

I came to Hiroshima, Japan in the spring of April 2006, so I have been staying here for about 3 years. For the first time, I felt a little bit worry to face the new environment that I have never been before. Thanks to God, although I could not speak Japanese language, I did not have any problems during the initial days of my life abroad because I received a lot of supports and assistances from my Professor, my tutor, and my Indonesian friends. I started my daily life smoothly and enjoyable. Gradually, I have become accustomed to this environment and I can enjoy my life here.

Academic life:

Hiroshima University provides all the facilities and resources for implementing various study and research works. This is a great privilege on my part to do my research works in the Laboratory of Marine Bioresources Chemistry, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, because the facilities and the materials required for my experiments are already available.
Besides from the advanced equipments in the laboratory, I had easy access to scientific journals in the libraries as well as internet browsing for more information and academic-related activities that helped upgrade my study and research works.

I already have finished my Master program here on the major of Food Science and Biofunctions at the Department of Biofunctional Science and Technology and I am going to continue my study on a PhD program in the same department. My research work focuses on lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) from marine green algae. Supervision and plenty of supports extended by my Professor, helps to build a successful academic and research life throughout my study period here. I really appreciate and grateful Professor Kanji Hori for been a great academic and research advisor to me.

Social life:

I had a wonderful opportunity to meet foreign students from many countries with different cultures in Hiroshima University. I also made several Japanese friends who helped me to understand the culture of Japan. Thus, my interactions with other foreign students and Japanese friends for many cultural sites have enriched my appreciation of diversity of humanity and nature.

I learned many things from this country, it was not only academic, scientific, and technology matters but Japanese cultures, manners, and Japan natures. My impression was very good about Japan. Japanese are honest, kind, polite, and devoted to their duties and responsibilities. I hope myself and other foreign students including Indonesian students who have been studying here in Japan be able to learn and adopt those kinds of Japanese good-manners for better future of our life.

Last but not the least; I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Monbukagakusho) for the scholarship grant. I also have to take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all the relevant Professors of the major of Food Science and Biofunctions including my Supervisor.

Thank you very much to all my Lab-mates particularly Japanese friends who always extend their hands in my troubles and all my friends including my Indonesian friends who share happiness and sorrow during my period of study in Hiroshima University.
Thank you for being part of my life...