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

OQEANOUS Plus-IJP Report (TUMSAT 2023 October-2024March)

2024.04.24

Kasetsart University (The Kingdom of Thailand)
Graduate School of Kasetsart University
Course of Marine Science
Second Year of Master's Program
A.T.

        From fall (October 2023) to spring (March 2024), I was at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT) under the International Joint Program (IJP) of the OQEANOUS Plus Program. During this time, I lived, I learned, and I found a great moment and memory there. After here, this report is my story, my memories, and my experience at TUMSAT.

[Motivation to join this program]

                                                                               

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Figure 1 I stood in front of the university

        In my country, I had a chance to study, work, or do activities with people who are related to sea, ocean, or marine science (i.e., people from the government sector or from nonprofit organizations). Therefore, I have a variety of experience in the sea, ocean, or marine sciences in my country. 

        However, I had limited experience studying marine science in other nation. I had always told myself that I wanted to gain more experience, knowledge, and skills in marine science from other countries, such as Japan. As a result, when I knew about the OQEANOUS Plus Program from TUMSAT, I decided to apply right away since I wanted to enhance myself by gaining international experience, knowledge, and abilities in marine science. Additionally, I wanted to learn more about Japan, such as culture, language, food, and anything else.

Figure 2 I touched the head of a beluga whale at Kamogawa Sea World

[Classes]

        During my study at TUMSAT,  I studied for five classes. Every single class had a different style of studying. I think it is a good thing to study the class in a different way, this thing improved me about the skill of learning. In some classes, such as "Systematics of Marine Invertebrate", I had a chance to deeply discuss a simulated project with professor and students. For me, this is a good chance to exchange our knowledge and our opinions. "Marine Mammalogy", I had a field trip to study outside of the university. I went to Chiba Prefecture to learn about whaling at Wadaura Wao and saw so many kinds of marine mammals at Kamogawa Sea World. I was enjoying at this aquarium.

        When I was here, I didn't study only marine science; I also studied Japanese language. I was enjoying this class so much. I studied how to write Hiragana and Katakana and also basic Japanese conversation. The lesson that I studied, I had a chance to use in a real situation. This class was very useful for me to live in Japan.

[Laboratory]

Figure 3 Working space in the laboratory

        I was part of the Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory. I learnt a lot there, not just about marine science, but also about Japanese culture, language, food, drinking and anything else.
        There are several textbooks in the laboratory, particularly those on the diversity and ecology of marine invertebrates. Therefore, I spent some time reading the books to understand more about marine invertebrates.
        Because one of my research interests is the biodiversity of polychaetes, sometimes I helped some laboratory members identify a polychaete specimen when they found

Figure 4 Myzostomida, the polychaetes that I helped
laboratory members identify

this animal.
        About the laboratory members: Professor is a kind person. He always answers my question when I wonder something, and he also advised me to study some marine invertebrates. The students in the laboratory are such kindly and funny people. There was no pressure on me when I was there. I was happy and enjoying myself when I spent time with them. They always supported me and helped me with almost everything. They often advised me about food and drinking, and sometimes they brought some food and drinks for me to try.

Figure 5 Green curry that I cooked for the party

We often talked and exchanged our experience together with variety of topic such as research, marine animals, Japanese animation, food, drinking, attraction and anything else. Sometime we watched the movie or animation together. They always found the route to wherever I wanted to go when I asked them. In addition to giving me the opportunity to practice speaking simple Japanese after I studied in a Japanese class, they occasionally taught me about Japanese culture. We often had parties, and at some parties, I cooked Thai food such as green curry, red curry, Thai suki, and Tom Kha Gai, but at other parties, the members cooked Japanese food such as Nabemono.

[Accommodation]

        Hoyo Dormitory was where I stayed while attending TUMAST. The room's facilities (i.e. mini kitchen, air conditioner, unit toilet, bed, desk, chair, and bookshelf) are adequate and handy for usage. There is a washing machine and shower room outside the room, and there is a vending machine on the 1st floor, sometimes I didn't have to go to convenience stores if I wanted some snacks and drinks. There is a view of buildings along the river from the balcony of the room.  I really like this dormitory because it is not far from my laboratory; it is only a two-minute walk from the dormitory to the laboratory, so I didn't have to rush.

[Food]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Figure 6 Thai Sour Soup Curry, which I
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　cooked in my room

        As I said about the facilities in the room, there is a mini-kitchen inside the room. Therefore, I always cooked the food myself. Thai cuisine accounts for the majority of the menu that I cooked. I can find the Thai ingredient in some supermarkets. But sometime, I went to a Thai restaurant in Tokyo to eat some Thai food there.

        For Japanese food, I often bought and ate Japanese food from supermarkets or convenience stores. For the dessert, I would like to say that desserts at some convenience stores are very delicious.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Figure 7 Northeastern Thai dishes, which I
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            　　　　　ate at some restaurant in Tokyo　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Sometime I went to a Japanese restaurant when I wanted to eat some specific Japanese food. The laboratory member always helped me find the restaurant, and they often recommended that I try some food. As I said about the parties, the laboratory members cooked Japanese food and let me try. Sometimes I cook simple Japanese dishes like miso-soba for dinner.

       

Figure 8 Nabemono with boiled crab these            Figure 9 Sea food, which I ate at some                 Figure 10 Magikarp Taiyakie
foods were cooked by a laboratory member           restaurants at Nijo fish market, Hokkaido                     at Akihabara, Tokyo

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

[Travel]

        When I had free time, I always traveled to Tokyo or another prefecture. I went numerous attractions and festivals of varying types. I was thrilled and appreciated every attraction and festival I visited.

        I joined the Sapporo Snow Festival to see many snow sculptures. I went to many attractions to see the great scenery there, such as Mt. Fuji, Kawaguchiko Lake, Enoshima Island, and Odaiba. 

     

Figure 11 Small_ Big snow sculpture              Figure 12_small_ Scenery of Mountain                          Figure 13_small_ Zojoji temple
    at Sapporo Snow Festival 2024                         Fuji at Kawaguchiko lake                                                         on the night of New Year's Eve

　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　

      I visited shrines (such as the Meiji Shrine) and temples (such as the Zojoji Temple, Sensoji Temple, and Kotokuin Temple) to wish for good fortune. But if I wanted to do an exciting activity, I went to amusement parks such as Fuji Q-Hight Land and rode the roller coaster.

        Sometimes I went to zoos (Saitama Children's Zoo and Ueno Zoo), museums (Tokyo National Museum and National Museum of Nature and Science), and aquarium (Shinagawa Aquarium) to see and learn new things that I had never seen or studied in my home country.

  

Figure 14 Roller coaster (Fujiyama)                                           Figure 15 The specimen of polychaete at National Museum
in Fuji-Q Highland amusement parks                                                          of Nature and Science, Tokyo

A message from me to the one who is interested in study abroad at TUMSAT under the International Joint Program (IJP) of OQEANOUS Plus Program

        As I mentioned at the beginning of this report, I wanted to make myself better by getting international experience, knowledge, and skill in marine science, as well as learning more about Japan. I have already accomplished my aim here as of right now.

        For those who are interested in studying abroad at TUMSAT under this program, if you want to get the same experience as me, don't hesitate to join this program.