OQEANOUS Plus ProgramOversea Quality-assured Education in Asian Nations
for Ocean University Students Plus

OQEANOUS Plus-IJP Report (TUMSAT 2023/Oct-2024/Mar)

2024.04.03

Kasetsart University (The Kingdom of Thailand)
Graduate School of Kasetsart University
Course of Aquaculture
Second Year of Master's Program
A. S.

  I studied at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technologies (TUMSAT) in Japan for 5 months, from October 2023 to March 2024. I hope this report of my experience will be helpful to students who are thinking about studying at TUMSAT.

[Motive]
    Throughout my life, I had always remained within my comfort zone, but my decision to apply for this program marked a crucial moment. It was a conscious choice to break free from the shell that had enveloped me, and I sought to challenge myself by studying abroad. Also, as someone who enjoys Japan and is constantly wondering about what it is truly like. This is a chance for me to get to know Japan beyond its surface. It provided me with an excellent opportunity to fully immerse myself in Japanese culture while also studying a topic that I'm interest.

[Life in Japan]
Accommodations:
    The dormitory, named Hoyo Dormitory, is located within the Shinagawa Campus. It's very convenient because it takes only 5 minutes to walk to the laboratory and 15 minutes to walk to Shinagawa Station. Inside the room, there is a bathroom and a small kitchen. The common area has a shower room, laundry machine, clothes dryer, and vending machine.

Food:
    I ate at the university cafeteria in the early days of my stay here. I feel that the food here is delicious and the price is quite cheap, but if you come at noon, there will be a lot of people. Therefore, I advise that if you have free time at 11:30, come during this time because the cafeteria has just opened, or come again at 12:45, but some food may run out. When I stay for a while, I start to cook for myself, or any day when I feel tired and don't want to cook. I'm going to buy it at the Maruetsu.

   
Photo 1) Left: Left: Bento from Maruetsu　  Middle: Padkrapao by myself.　 　Right: Lunch set from the cafeteria.

Study:
   I enrolled in 5 classes, all of them intensive courses. In intensive courses, professors will give short lectures or assignments, such as presentations based on topics assigned by the professor. This kind of learning was very new to me. I also attended Japanese language classes for international students. I chose the "Rapid Beginner Japanese 1&2" class. I enjoyed this class as I was able to learn Japanese and talk to foreign friends in the class.

Laboratory:
   My laboratory members, including Professor Sakamoto, are very kind. When we met, he always asked about my well-being. Although I did not do any research due to the differences in the approach I was taking, he assigned a lab member to teach me about this laboratory work. So I learned a lot of new things from this lab. This was a very good experience.

Vacation:
   On weekends or national holidays, I have had the opportunity to visit many places in Japan, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, which is a beautiful festival. I also went to Kawazu and Matsuda to see cherry blossoms and eat pink taiyaki, as well as to Kawaguchiko to see Mt. Fuji. It was a very good experience.

   
Photo 2) Left: Sapporo snow festival.   Middle: Pink taiyaki  and cheery blossoms.   Right: Mt. Fuji

[From me to you]
   The exchange program with the OQEANOUS Plus program at TUMSAT was a very valuable experience for me. I have stepped out of my comfort zone, getting rid of the fear in my mind of studying abroad. I learned new things, met many people, and experienced the beautiful culture of Japan, and it made the fears I had fade. I would like those who are interested in studying abroad or who are interested in the OQEANOUS Plus program to please don't hesitate to apply for this program, come and learn new things, and have a good experience at TUMSAT. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.