Although it has been 7 months since participating in the Sakura Science Program, I still vividly remember every moment at Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT), Niigata, Japan.

Through this exchange, we gained a lot of specialized knowledge from professors at NUT, especially about PLANTS EPIGENETICS. For the first time, I was directly exposed to experiments involving Arabidopsis – a plant that Vietnam does not have – and the MET 1 tomato plant. I can also participate in regular seminars of the lab, experience and learn the style, learning culture, presentation of Japanese friends.

The Nagaoka University of Technology not only has a modern dynamic campus, but also environmentally friendly learning environment. Laboratories, classrooms, libraries, and so son... These will be places for us to have the opportunity to study, and exchange with our fellow majors. In particular, Associate Professor Taisuke Nishimura teaches enthusiastically, is receptive, always encourages the spirit of self-study and creates opportunities for me to practice teamwork and presentation skills.

Besides, Sakura Science Program has brought me a lot of new friends. Our Japanese friends were very happy and willing to help us integrate despite the language barrier. We shared a lot about the life, history, traditional customs of Japan and Vietnam. On weekends, I was also taken by my professor and friends to visit famous landmarks in Nagaoka: Sake brewery tour, Shoraikaku villa (the home and garden of brewery founder) and delicious food experience like soba noodles, and ice cream. Vietnamese friends from Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) and Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) accompanying me during my 20 days in Japan are always valuable. We lived together, helped, and bonded with each other. After the trip ended, we still kept in touch and became good friends.

After this trip, I am very grateful for giving me valuable experiences and lessons. It has made me confident, improved my skills, and I became a better version of myself.

Thanks for reading my story.