Education of Global Medical and Health Science Leaders in the Coming
Generation in Cooperation and Collaboration with ASEAN countries
Rika Shimizu
Period: October 2, 2013~December 31, 2013
Place: Institute of tropical disease (ITD), Airlangga University

I was sent to Institute of tropical disease (ITD), Airlangga University, by student
exchange program. In ITD, I had been engaged in Influenza research under thesupervision of Prof. Kazufumi Shimizu. Through this program, I was impressed by theambition and high English ability of Indonesian researchers. Their upward mobility
encouraged my motivation.
My advice for the student who will take this program is, don’t hesitate to study abroad,
although you are worried about the ability of language. The most important thing is anattitude to do everything actively with curiosity. Of course I was worried about myEnglish skill, and full of anxious about the living in Indonesia for three month. However,
I was able to spend meaningful three month thanks to my friends and teacher, with themind that tries to do everything. I had many difficulties in living abroad, because of thedifferent culture. However, it brought a lot of things to learn. In addition, it also brought
an opportunity to reconsider my future. I strongly suggest joining this project if you areinterested in studying abroad.

Influenza group

I arrived at Surabaya, which is the second biggest city in Indonesia, in order to study
here for three month, by the project “Education of Global Medical and Health Science
Leaders in the Coming Generation in Cooperation and Collaboration with ASEAN
countries”. I thought that this project was really good opportunity for me since I had
been thinking that I wanted to live and study in abroad, and see a developing country.
Therefore, it did not take long time before I applied this project. During this three monthprogram, I expected that I could experience a lot of things, including different culturecommunication, life in developing country and so on, which would be helpful to mylife.
However, my expectation turned into anxiety quickly when I arrived at a dormitory,
where I was going to live for three month. Narrow room, the shower which frequently
stopped and serves only tap water, non-flush toilet, etc. Living in here is totally different
from that of Japan. Of course there was no appliance, like air conditioner or refrigerator.
Private kitchen neither. My resolution, “live in developing country for three month”, got
to be broken at the first day of my stay in Indonesia. I was wondering if I would bereally able to live in here for three month.
Next day, I went to the Institute of Tropical disease (ITD), Airlangga university. ITD
was designated as a Center of Excelllence, by Indonesian government, and one of theleading institute in the field of medicine and biology in Indonesia. Three Japanese
researchers have been stationed in ITD, and engaged in the research of infectious
diseases by the project of “Japan initiative for global research network on infectiousdiseases”. I started Influenza research under the supervision of Prof Kazufumi Shimizu,
who is one of the Japanese researchers.

Institute of tropical disease (ITD),
Airlangga University

The student dormitory

I had been engaged in bacteria research before coming to Indonesia. Therefore,
research on virus was really new and interesting to me. I mainly performed virus
isolation, genetic analysis and the survey of avian influenza. Avian influenza, especially
H5N1, has a great impact on the society, so I felt a big responsibility. I joined not only alab work but also a field work. For example, monitoring migrant birds as a carrier ofhighly pathogenic avian influenza, and sample collection from a wet market where
human H5N1 infection occurred before.
Those works cannot be performed and seen in Japan. I realized that hygienic
environment of those area was really terrible. One of my purposes in this study was tosee by my eye that people in Indonesia were at risk of exposure to avian influenza
infection. I strengthened my resolution to utilize my knowledge and experience to theimprovement of hygiene and the problem of infectious disease in many developing
countries.
There were three Indonesian researchers who belonged to Influenza group. I mainly
spent a time with them. What I was the most impressed by them was their English skill.
Most of the researchers in ITD were twenties, and newly graduated university orgraduate school. They were as young as me. However, all of them speak English
fluently, and discuss research in English. Doing research and spending time with themreally inspired my motivation. At the same time, it made me realized that the English
skill among Japanese students were really low.

The habitat of Migratory birds (Pelican)

Farm of birds

I was surprised at not only their ability of English, but also their high ambitious spirit.
I met so many people who would like to study abroad. Especially, my best friend always
said she wanted to study in Japan in the future, and therefore after her work she took
Japanese class. She thought studying in Japan would help in the development ofIndonesia than studying in Europe or the United States, because Japan was a leader inAsia. I had never met the person who thought like this and took action in Japan. I felt
the energy in developing country. In addition, her ambition roused me to activity.
I used to play in many places along with Indonesian friends on holiday. Instead ofgoing to the so-called tourist spot, I often visited the ordinary local spots liked
Indonesian young people. We talked late into the night in a warung (a greasy spoon),
and also I participated in an Indonesian friend’s wedding in Jogjakarta.
I noticed that they always accept the aliens while in contact with the many Indonesian.
They spoke to me actively using the Japanese or English they knew by their hilarious
national identity, and also accepted my poor English and Indonesian. In addition, it wasalso very surprised that they were interested in Japanese culture beyond my expectation,and sometimes had deep knowledge of Japanese culture then Japanese young people.
What strikes me was that my friend said to me why I little knew about the traditional
culture of Japan even though I was Japanese. In Indonesia, they gave consideration totheir traditional culture and dance, so my friends always taught me various things. By
talking about the culture of both countries, I was keenly aware of lack of knowledge ofJapanese culture and convention. On the other hand, it was very interested to think
about the Japanese culture in Indonesian glance. I want to learn about Japanese culturein the future.

The Wedding in Jogjakarta

Warung

Until now, I have only mentioned the weak point of Japan. However, I have foundgood points of Japan either. And then, as a matter of course, the good points ofIndonesia that I mentioned in this paper are not applicable to all Indonesian. I heard thatIndonesian are generally not as diligent and punctual as Japanese. Sometimes I agreewith that. In addition, ITD was one of the most prestigious institutes in Indonesia,
however at the other places sometimes its experimental environment was not as high asthat of Japan. I rediscover Japanese virtue and the advantage that I can go Japanese
university.
When I look back on this program, I feel that time flies so quickly. Three monthprogram was too short. Anxiety at the first day disappeared before I knew it. Come tothink of it, the most important factor to enjoy this program is, I think friends. I realizedthat the difference of culture, or way of thinking did not matter to be a friend.
Conversely, those differences make people more attractive. Three month is somewhat
short for me. If I could stay longer, I would be able to get along with them more andmore!
Through this project, what I learn the best is the importance of relationship between
human to human.

Tea factory

ITD symposiumCurrently, it was said that Japanese students did not try to study abroad and go out ofJapan. That is why this project was adopted. However, I think that this problem isderived from Japanese highly advanced society. Japanese people can get high education
without using English, and conduct high level research in domestic.
This program let me rediscover the difference between Japan and abroad countries, aswell as the advantages or disadvantages to study in Japan. I would like to make use of
these findings and experiences to the rest of my life, and contribute to the developmentof emerging countries.
Lastly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who helped me tohave such a wonderful experience.

With Prof.Shimizu, Dr. Utsumi, Mr. Kotaki, Ms. Ueda, and Ms. Yamazaki at ITD