My home town is Dhaka which is the capital of my country, Bangladesh. Like Tokyo, Dhaka is a very busy, densely populated city and center of political, cultural & economic infrastructure of the country. Natural beauty together with metropolis facility makes Dhaka and Tokyo choice to live across the nations. As the main attractions of entertainments are available in the capital, both Tokyo and Dhaka have their unique positions in this regards.
I personally am missing the amazing street food of Dhaka at the same time enjoying the clean, pollution-free environment of Tokyo. Living cost in Tokyo is unexpectedly very high compare to my town. I knew Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world but when I experienced this myself I was totally lost. How come the price of ONE apple can be 150yen?? But I get myself pull through this situation and now am very comfortable living in Tokyo.
- Motivation: The reasons I decided to study in Tokyo
Working in the lab
I am working in the Cosmochemistry Laboratory of Chemistry department. In our lab we analyze major and minor elemental abundances in meteorite. Meteorites are extra-terrestrial body comes from the outer space. They may be a part of planet, moon, asteroid, planetesimal etc. unlike our planet earth the meteorite are able to keep unchanged through the time. So analysis of the meteorite gives an inner view of initial condition of solar system formation and also a source of lots of information what happened afterwards.
Among different elements present in the meteorite Platinum Group Element (PGE) has a distinct position to describe different perspective of solar system formation. I am now working on the detection of PGE in different samples. As my work is very initial stage, I am actually doing the environment impact of my work. Because PGE availability in meteorite is very small –ppb level, sometimes ppt level, to achieve accuracy I need to ensure environmental impact on the analysis. After completion this, I will start my main analysis with meteorite.
Who don't like to see the stars in the night and to reveal the mystery of the outer space? Like other I also had a desire deep inside my mind to know and work with something about the space which was not possible in my country as we don't have that kind of facilities. Japan has technologically advanced facilities not only to collect meteorite from Antarctica but also samples from asteroid by sending a space ship. So when I got a chance to work in this laboratory I didn't hesitate to take. So I am here.
Party with lab members
Before coming here, I heard Japanese are 'WORKAHOLIC'; I didn't get the true meaning. Now I know actual sense of 'workaholic', a genuine, industrious nation; passionate for work. I am trying to cope with this environment.
Though my research topic is very interesting but almost everything is new for me and really very hard. I have to go through so many new terminologies that I never heard before. I am little bit afraid now, because it's not enough to memorize these terminologies I need to be master of this. But I am lucky enough to get lots of help from my lab to overcome my weakness.
- Asia and myself: My role in Asia
Well, my research at Tokyo Metropolitan University is mainly a theoretical type. It directly will not contribute to the development of Asia but this type of research carries the symbolism of development. To know the world around us, space, the time planet earth has passed through, the future of our beloved planet - this kind of research has no other alternative. So I am very lucky to have an opportunity to work on this topic.
My country doesn't have any laboratory to research on Cosmochemistry though we have necessary facilities to carry out experiments. After finishing my work here, I may start a guidance of research in my country if possible; it will be just a start of a journey which will be carried out by our next generation. I like to share my experience and knowledge that I have here with my fellow researcher in my country. I don't know how far I can go but I know if can initiate something good in my land maybe in future we will have some great space scientists who will take my country and Asia to a new era of development.
- The message I would like to send through "Interaction Asia"：My life in Tokyo
Fukushima tour with other international students
I have a very busy schedule in Tokyo. I have research work but I want to enjoy my stay here. At the initial period I faced the problem in Tokyo – price; Tokyo is so expensive. I brought sufficient (??) money with me to survive as we already knew that the first payment of our scholarship would be delayed. But the amount which supposed to be much more than enough was insufficient in Tokyo. I was really surprised and agreed Tokyo is the most expensive city of the world.
Besides costly livelihood which I get to be used to now, another thing which still disturbs me is - the language. Here almost everything is in Japanese with no English translation. As a weak and irregular learner I am facing problems to handle Japanese. But I have a magic word which makes (a little bit) easy for me to manage the non-understandable condition. The word is SUMIMASEN. If I don't understand anything I ask help from someone starting with sumimasen and then use very simple English. Most of the time, my problems are just solved. But it's really necessary to learn Japanese to survive in Tokyo.
Tokyo's weather at least to me is very cold. When I first experienced the snow fall I was very excited, we never have snow fall in our country. It's so beautiful, everything unremarkably white. But soon after I discover another truth about snow- if we walk carelessly on snow we may need some days' rest in our bed with broken legs. So many things are there to learn for me to survive here in Japan.
In total, I am enjoying my stay here. When I have free days I like to go around Tokyo. I have a phone with GPS, subway map, Tokyo city map with me; I can go anywhere I want without asking anyone's help. As a Muslim I cannot take any food available in Japan but I love Japanese foods which include sashimi, sushi, udon noodles, miso soup, fish, desert etc. I never have Japanese food in my country. Now I became fond of Japanese foods.
Life is not so joyful (without my family) but not so sad here. We just need to adjust with the new environment with patience. As a country of hospitality, Japan is embracing us with love, its us who need to extend hands.
Thanks a lot Tokyo Metropolitan University, Thank you Japan.
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