Archive for October 2014

Live, Life and Learn

Posted on Oct 31, 2014 by

October has almost passed, the leaves have fallen, the weather is getting colder, but some scientist said “friends are almost as good as duvet”, so I’m glad because they are always around!






Lots of things happened during my second month of staying in Sapporo. Strangers become friends, friends become family. This colourful Sapporo has turned more colourful because of them. I'm so blessed that I can be a PARE Student, I can have lots of good friends, I can study in this beautiful Hokkaido University, and I can learned so many new things.



This semester I registered to many interesting subjects, such as Environmental Policy, Environmental Leadership, Asian/African Culture, Language and Regionalism, Sustainability Science, and some other lectures that I believe can improve my understanding about environmental and social problem in Indonesia. 

Other than the specialized subjects that I take this semester, one class that I love the most is my Kanji class. Yes, that difficult and complicated Kanji class. I love it, because I feel learning Kanji is like learning philosophy. Every character has its meaning. 

For example, kanji 私 (watashi) or "I" is basically a picture of a man holding a rice plant. I see kanji 私 as a symbol that human life cannot be separated from agriculture. No matter how hard we strive for our future, the most important thing that we cannot leave aside is the future of agriculture. Because without agriculture, there is no future. 

Another example, kanji 今 (ima) or now/present is basically a picture of a house with somebody's singing inside it. I see kanji 今 as a message that every "now", every "time" that we have is a gift that we should appreciate with joy and happiness..

I feel so lucky once again, because other than learning about the sciences, here I can also learn about the culture and wisdom that Japanese and Chinese ancient had taught through the kanji.



Looks like on next February my fridge will be covered by these kanji and Japanese words :)

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The journey of life: Hokkaido, Autumn, Laboratory, PARE Exchange student.

Posted on Oct 30, 2014 by

       I running forward to my dream and now I’m right here Hokkaido, Japan. I attend to study and work in Laboratory of Animal Nutrition in Faculty of Agriculture Hokkaido University.





     







 






There are 23 members in my laboratory included Kobayashi sensei, Koeki sensei, Chiba san (a scientist), 3 Ph, D. students, 7 Master's degree students, 9 undergraduate students and I (an exchange student). 


      Currently, Our laboratory focus in 2 main research objectives include the study of the reducing greenhouse gas from rumen bacteria in Ruminant animal gut by feeding and the study of bean husk feeding on microbes in monogastro-intestinal animal. and my research topic is PCR-based analysis of gut microbiota: detection and quantitation of health-promoting and harmful bacteria. 

    



        On Oct, 7th 2014 Kobayashi sensei he is really caring and kind, He brought us to Tsukuba city to visit NOSAN corporation pet food and animal feed company and present our research about the effect of bean husk feeding on microbes as pre-biotic in gastro-intestinal animal.


    I'm really would love to know what they talking but It all is in Japanese :( 
    after we back from Tsukuba, we have free time around 3 hours for Tokyo sight seeing and we decided to go HARAJUKU!!! the most popular place in Tokyo.
                                                                                                    

        Harajuku is a center of Japanese youth culture and fashion Shopping and dining options include many small, youth oriented, independent boutiques and cafes, but the neighborhood also attracts many larger international chain stores with high-end luxury merchandisers extensively represented along Omotesando. If you have chance to visit Tokyo I recommend you to go Harajuku :)


     
   


                                  

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Around my self

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BUABAN   Parichat
PARE26-029
Kasetsart University


The end of October is autumn and cold. I think I will buy something to warm me up and prepare for coming winter. So, the best activity at the moment is shopping beautiful coats and shoes for below 0 degree Celsius with snow drop.

(Photographer by Napan Narischat)

 When cold breeze wind passed through my body on the beginning of October, it was time for colour leaves change and not a long time. I always walk from dormitory to the university and colour leaves have gradually changed from green to yellow and red. After the beautiful autumn, colourful leaves will continually drop to ground so it is signal of white winter.




On the part of my study for this term, I take lecture and seminar class in three subjects. The first is Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. In this lecture, I will understand about the current research progress of physiology, ecology, and genetics of interactions between microorganism and plants.
Secondly, Biotechnology subject, I learn and understand basic and updated knowledge that is necessary of principles and methodology in biotechnology. For the subject’s seminar, the objective is to understand the knowledge in the field of biotechnology. So, I will have the knowledge of the principle, new findings, and new methodology that were utilized in an individual case in biotechnology, and learn the problem emerged from it.
Lastly, Study on International Agriculture Science II of short-term studying abroad within one year designated to learn basic study technique of the agricultural science.
Next term I will take class Plant Nutritional Ecology and Seminar on Plant Nutritional Ecology. In this lecture, we will study plant nutritional strategies on adaptation to various soil conditions and sustainable land management through rhizosphere regulation and symbiotic system between plant and microorganisms. For seminar I will read English paper on Ecological plant nutrition and rhizosphere function and understand international Trend of Ecological plant nutrition and rhizosphere function, which will contribute to research works.
 Furthermore, Introduction to PARE III have targets to promote understanding of actual situations regarding the use of fossil fuel, metal, water, land and marine resources and  initiatives for related improvement, and to improve capability of discussion skill for problem resolution.
I think, Sensei (teacher) is the most important person for my study life in Hokkaido university. They help international student to understand the subject’s content by teaching in Japanese and English language. So, language is now not my barrier to study here and I can feel relief and better understand the subjects.

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Jojo’s Diary : October Part 2_Jojo’s Mission in Season Change

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Hello every one, Happy Halloween Ha ha ha ha …



I’m Jojo (ジョジョ). Can you remember me? I very happy to tell my experience again, and I hope you will also happy with this.

This month, we are very funny with party. I mean “Halloween Party”. I have a Halloween Party with my Thai friends and Thai senior here for new comer welcome party. I met many people, we are very funny with Thai Karaoke and this day I am a witch. Everyone happy and funny with my singing and dancing because I am so sexy 555+

And for my study for this month I already start my research. It’s about “Separation of PVC and ABS with Copper Wire by using Jig Separation” for recycling the plastic waste.
  
For this month, everything has change. Temperature go down very fast in some night it’s -2oc, The leaf on the tree change from green to yellow, orange and red and fall down on the road. I am very love this season because red, orange and yellow ( Hot tone color) , It’s my favorite color. And in my autumn, I am very happy about my weight, its go down 8 kg (I will have a slim body ><!!!)




          This is my life in the end of October, I am very happy. And for next and next next month, I will be happy everyday and waiting (maybe fighting) for my first snow he he he.


For this month, Bye Bye..............................................................Happy Halloween day Ha ha ha ha …5555+


To be continued…
つづく

 

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What are doing there??? “あなたは誰ですか”

Posted on Oct 29, 2014 by

Maybe the first question sometimes asked by your friend in your own country to you after seeing some of your photo or status about Japan. Related to this question, the Japanese people maybe also ask other question to you “あなたは誰ですか” (second question)à anata wa dare desu ka? Or in English “Who are you?”.

So, after finishing Summer School, finishing movement to the Dorm, it’s the time for introducing my laboratory. As PARE Program student, I was accepted as special auditor student at Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University. I will do my thesis research in this laboratory for 6 months. Not only doing research, I will also take some class to get credits. I was accepted by Kawabata sensei (Jun Kawabata) to join his laboratory. For my experiment, Kato sensei (Eisuke Kato) will be the laboratory supervisor and help me for the discussion. And now, my life in Japan was about my laboratory.
 
My Laboratory
Staying in Japan especially as exchange student, it will bring a great experience. Not only about daily life experience in foreign country, but also about the academic culture. In Japan, they have “welcome party”, a special party held to “accept” the new students. In my laboratory, I just already had my welcome party on October 17th 2014. Not only in intern-laboratory, but this welcome party also held by the faculty and other student organization. Starting in party, it is a good chance for us to talk and have some conversation with Japanese so we can get closer each other.
My welcome party

Other culture is about supporter. As the foreign students, Hokkaido University help us by “giving” us Japanese friend (called as Supporter) to help ourselves being settled in Japan. My supporter is Machikawa san, he is also member of our laboratory. He picked me up in the airport when I’ve arrived in Japan. He helped me to open the bank account, make resident card, pay assurance, etc. It’s very helpful. Although he is not my senpai (teaching for experiment for me) but he also like to help me in laboratory.

Beside welcome party, other academic cultures that I’ve learn here is about “senpai”. Senpai is just not “senior”. I have Japanese senpai (Takemoto san) and Indonesian senpai (Lucy san and Ines san) in my laboratory. They are not only taught me about the experiment methods, but also about the laboratory’s daily living. Just like Takemoto san, she was not only teaching me about “lipase inhibitory” assay, but she took care about my special food (Halal Food) in welcome party. She is also so kind, and help me to translate in English if someone talk me in Japan. Beside my senpai, other members also like to help me in laboratory and having some conversation. 

In my laboratory, we also have “zemi” or weekly seminar. Every week, there will be 2 presenters that will present about a journal and we discuss it together. Although they will speak in Japanese, but at least they prepare for the handout and the presentation slide in English.
In this laboratory I will have research about tempe, Indonesian traditional food. My laboratory is focusing on searching and synthesis of anti-obesity and or anti diabetes compound. But, in my research I just do the initial screening process of anti-obesity and or anti-diabetes activity from tempe. Actually I want to finish until final stage (identification of compound), but I don’t have enough time. By this short time (6 months), my sensei (Kato sensei) suggests me to only doing the initial screening but in many different assays. I do enjoy my laboratory life. I have many “funny” friends and I can learn more here.
On the laboratory
My desk :)

So, if my Indonesians friend asked me “What are you doing there?” けんきょうします。And for the second question (asked by Japanese) “あなたは誰ですか” I am PARE program student that will doing research in Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture under supervisor Kawabata sensei.” 
So, Let’s enjoy your laboratory activity and being success!

Location: Hokkaido University, ５丁目 北８条西 Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture 060-0808, Japan
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My love

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When I live in Thailand I bought Thai food only me but I  cook Thai food  for 5 Thai students every day in Japan. I can cook new food menu that I never cook it.


 Sometime it very delicious but sometime ...haha. Because in Japan don’t have some material for cook Thai food. Minimally, cooking by myself can save money for me and it is my love.

Thank you for reading my post.(Ratchanok Sahaworarak)

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Autumn in Japan

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Autumn in Japan 

             The first autumn for me in Japan is very beautiful, because leaf is change color and many colors. Sometime i thing is bright sometime is so sad.





             But someday raining is very so cold. Every day is very cold because temperature is down down and down. some night, temperature is minus degree Celsius, i waiting for snow!! so, exciting!!!  
             In holiday, i and my friend went to Chocolate factory. It's so cute. we take a picture with every thing. this here have Halloween term. candy and cake is so cute.


           We went to temple but fortunately because have wedding so, beauty, romantic, magical and sacred. i think in the future if i can marries in this here that fortunately for me.


        In this month, the first time for me for learn in Hokkaido University. I summit 4 credits and 2 Japanese courses, Advance Botany and Agronomy, Seminar Advance Botany and Agronomy, Study on International Agriculture Science II, Japanese Grammar I and Kanji I. every thing is new for me, i think i very fortunately that i went go to Japan.



 

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Field Trips in Date, Muroran and Lake Toya: Suthin IAMPAISARN

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Hi! I'm Suthin Iampaisarn (BONG). There are many experience of my life in october but I want to share just some experience that most interested for me. For example, field trip 2 days in Muroran-Shi, Date- Shi and Lake Toya with undergraduate students of Fisheries Sciences to see the fish species culture system, salmon migration between pacific ocean and Lake Toya etc. which I was invited by my Sensei last week. Let's See my field trip.

Muroran-shi
Source: www.milt.go.jp

Direction from Hokkaido University, Hakodate campus to Date-shi about 250 km 
Which  by car About 4 hours. Muroran-Shi and Lake Toya Are near Date-Shi.


First day, we went to Date-shi for the first place to see hatchery farm of Japanese flounder fish management (see picture below) and culture system. This station is aim for conservation of Japanese flounder fish resource in the sea which they can produce around 8,000,000 fishes per year !! 

Japanese flounder fish

I and undergraduate students were seeing japanese flounder tank

Japanese flounder farm

And the second place is Muroran Marine Station, Fisheries sciences that belongs to Hokkaido University where the station is located at the rocky shore of Charatsunai. 

This place is in front of Muroran Marine Station

Main research of this station is studies on biology and physiology of marine algae and there are minor research studies to produce Japanese flounder, herring fish and several species of shellfishes as well as Alaska king crab.

juvenile japanese flounder

Herring fishes were fast swimming !!

I can not remember japanese name of this species.

King crab

Sea urchin

Shellfishes culture system

After finish from the second station, we enjoyed lunch at the souvenir shop where is near the Hakucho Bridge which is the symbol of muroran-shi and there are wind generator on the mountain >> It's very beautiful view <<

Wind generator on the mountain

Hakucho Bridge

Souvenirs from Muroran-shi

Final destination and final day of field trip is Toya Lake station! 

The station is situated on the shore of Lake Toya in the Shikotsu Toya National Park, about 100km from Sapporo and 150km from Hakodate The main researches of this station including 1.wise use of Lake Toya :. A comprehensive environmental research for conservation of environmental conditions and control of fisheries production 2). Lake model for salmon migration by fish physiological analyze of salmon imprinting and homing mechanism by means of the electrophysiological studies on olfactory discrimination of maternal river and 3. Introduction of anadromous salmon to Lake Toya etc.

The way from Muroran to Lake Toya

We enjoyed lunch together

Lake Toya station

Finally, I think that I uploaded many photos more than explanation. Hahaha and final of the final of sharing experience, I would like to thank you my sensei (Shigeho Ijiri sensei) who invited me for gain this experience and I got many friends of undergraduate students.

Suthin IAMPAISARN







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