JSPS Fellow's Experiences in Japan
Miss Gemma Attrill
(Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dept. of Space and Climate Physics)
JSPS Summer Programme Fellow
Host institution: Kwasan Observatory, Kyoto University (June - August 2005)
My life as a JSPS researcher in Japan
I am currently halfway through my PhD studying solar physics. To experience a "taster" of the world of Japanese space science, I went to Japan for 10 weeks last summer to work with a world-renowned group, based in the ancient imperial capital of Kyoto. The first week after arrival in Japan was spent in intensive language training and cultural orientation at a conference centre just outside of Tokyo. I then made the journey to Kyoto by Shinkansen ("bullet" train) to move into a house shared with other international students and to start my work at Kwasan Observatory.
Kyoto in the summertime is hot and unbelievably humid! At least the observatory was at the top of one of the mountains surrounding the city, so it was a little cooler at work. I found the staff and students of the observatory to be extremely polite and helpful. Initially, I found being a foreigner ("Gajin") quite strange after life in London, because outside the universities, there are very few non-Japanese, but my colleagues soon became friends and made me feel very welcome. Kyoto is a fantastic city and really stole my heart. It's surrounded on three sides by mountains, with a river flowing through the centre and ancient temples scattered throughout and around the city. During the summer, colourful festivals swell the population by a factor of two, crowding everyone into the central streets to take part in the processions. With most people dressed in the traditional summer kimono and eating street food, these are a very vivid experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my time living and working in Japan, although the adventure is not without it's challenges. Adapting your usual approach to embrace new understandings: e.g. that the word "no" is not used, even in discussions at work, requires you to step out of your usual comfort zone to make progress. But with these small demands come unique rewards, invaluable opportunities, new experiences and a lot of fun in a combination that I believe only time living and working in Japan can impart.
At the JSPS Programme IntroductionEvent at University College London on 26th October 2006
