Day-10 The Farewell

Today, the 10th, is a very sad day because we have to leaving Chiba.
But basicly, we still have full day's activities.

After last night we held some small farewell party in one of Udayana Student's room, TWINCLE event on the last day of our program is the final presentation of the results for our ten days.

This day, each university groups visit the university to present the final results of each on their own way. Fuh, the temperature here around 31 degrees. とても暑い! Totemo atsui! (it's very hot)
We often got some rest during our way to university.

Right at 1 PM the final presentation begins. April-Sensei said that the order of presentation is Udayana, UGM and UI.
 

Started by Udayana university, the theme of their presentation was "A Story From Japan" which is represented by Ms. Benita. After introducing theirself, the presentation explained the details of their activities for 10 days at Chiba University which is full of exciting and enjoyable experience.
From the way they answer questions with enthusiasm, it seems clear that the members of  Udayana University really enjoyed the TWINCLE program.

 
Then proceed to our university, UGM, with title : "Eleven Wonderful Days In Japan" and represent by Ms. Icha.
Our presentation tells our basic activities at Chiba University. We divide it into two major parts namely "Academic Impression" and "Cultural Impression".
Academic Impression tell our activities on Machida-Sensei laboratory and Josaphat-Sensei laboratory and joint activities with Chiba Student at Workshop on Internship session.
Meanwhile, Cultural Impression explain our appreciation to Japanese culture by comparing it with some Indonesian culture. Amazingly, every culture that we compare are always has a resemblance! : D

You may view our final presentation at here

Lastly is the presentation of the University of Indonesia which is represented by Mr. Bima.
This presentation explained how they were getting lots of benefits and lessons learned from this TWINCLE program. At the end of a very interesting presentation of University of Indonesia, they said that they wanted to have some joint research with Chiba University.


Before the session ended, some students Chiba asked to express their honest opinion about the Indonesian Students and our arrival to Chiba University.  They said that we are always cheerful so that the stiffness wall collapsed.  

Well... Thank you for your welcoming and appreciation! : D

After the final presentation, we have to going back to the international dormitory at Inage to take each of our suitcase. But before it, we took some pictures together. 

Wew, our way back feels like a very long journey because this is our last trip on the TWINCLE program :(

Although less than 2 weeks, we have had some stories and experience that can not be described. which is happen between  foreign student and Japanese, as well as Indonesian fellows.  

We got a lot of new friends here. It is clear that TWINCLE program is an event that introduced us to members of other university programs TWINCLE addition of Chiba University.

We, the TWINCLE UGM student feel very fortunate to be a part of this program. 

This is a very beneficial for us because this was our first time to Japan. TWINCLE open our eyes, how the real Japan, Japanese, and a culture where people only were we able to know from the media and people's stories.

Bye Chiba, Bye Japan! See you again.
Thank you for your kindness and inspirations.  

Hopefully we can come here again on The Sakura Ground. Aamiin

Day-9 First day of Ramadhan in Japan : Preparation for Final Presentation

Today we have preparation for our final presentation, before finishing our TWINCLE program in Japan, tomorrow we have to give presentation of our experience which we get from this program.

Today is also the first day for Ramadhan fasting, we do our activity as usual. The special thing for our first day fasting in Japan is we must do fasting for 16.5 hours (from 02.30 am to 19.00 pm) with summer weather about 33^ocelcius. In our country, we just do fasting for 14 (from 04.00 am – 18.00 pm) hours. Even it felt very tough but we must do our obligation to our religion.

Besides prepare our last presentation, our activity today is looking for some souvenir which we will give to our family and friends in Indonesia.

In the evening we end our fasting together in some restaurant closes Inage Station namely “Yoshinoya”. We ate Japanese food, “Gyudon”, which is rice mixed with beef. After that we have Tarawih praying together in one of the rooms of the members because there is no Mosque close to our dormitory.

Our second last day in Japan became more wonderful because after Tarawih praying, we have a food party afterwards with Indonesian friends from Universitas Indonesia, Udayana, as well as Japanese friends. Together, we cook Indonesian and Japanese food and eat together.

Tomorrow is the last day for our TWINCLE activity in Japan. But actually it is quite sad that we have to leave Japan. So many memories with all good friends, so many experiences and knowledge. Hopefully it will be useful for our future...

Nour Eka Jayanti

Day-8 Trip to Chiba City Museum of Science

Day 8 in Japan was filled with trip to Chiba City Museum of Science. The museum is located in Chiba city, half an hour from International dormitory, where we stay. After lunch time, around 12 pm, we gathered in front of dormitory. All of Indonesian TWINCLE participants joined this trip and supervised by Baba Sensei.

We walked together to Inage station and took train to Chiba station. The trip was continued by bus towards Chiba City Museum of Science.

First impression of the museum building was modern and luxurious which has around ten floors.  However we only visited 7^th, 8^th , 9^th, and 10^th floors. As suggestion of the museum guides, we explored from 10^th floor downwards.

Every floor has different theme, the 10^th floor was Geo Town. It was contained of replicas, samples and simulations of earth and solar system. Simulations of space, phenomena inside and on earth, and many experiments could be seen in the floor.

The 9^th floor was namely Techno Town, where we can see many things about technology. As we   know, Japan is well known as a developed country with high technology. In this section we could see many technologies, especially produced by Japan. Way of car machine, evolution of communication media (from morse code until sophisticated mobile phone), robots, also evolution of Japan toys (from year 1970 until 2010), even underground drainage channel are displayed in advance using touch screen technology.

 

Theme of 8^th floor was Wonder Town, contained of interesting experiments about amazing facts that actually created of simple things which science took the main role, such as optical illusions, sound experiments. Unfortunately we cannot explore further on this floor because times given by guides was already run out.

At 3 pm we had to move to 7^th floor and entered to planetarium. It was such a big round hall to simulate the earth. The ceiling was a half round of screen. Firstly, it showed solar system, the screen displayed night sky with stars, then the narrator introduced about constellations. Unfortunately, the explanation was delivered in Japanese, so we can only self-interpret  and enjoy beautiful starry sky. The show was continued with film of national geographic namely “Wildest Weather in the  Solar System”. Around a half hour we watched the documentary film about solar system. With extra big screen we were satisfied to be introduced the composition of solar system.

What an experience today, we can obtain many interesting knowledge. Tomorrow we have to prepare final presentation for Thursday.

Ganbatte!!

Widiyana Riasasi

Day-7 Free Day for Tokyo Sightseeing and Cultural Experience

Today is a free day for participants of TWINCLE program. All participants get a free time to explore the country of Japan. UGM (University of Gadjah Mada) students went to visit the capital city of Japan, which is Tokyo. Several attractions we visited are: Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa Temple, Harajuku street and Akihabara. We visited those places with a help from our friendly Japanese friends.

1. Tokyo Skytree Tower

            Tokyo Skytree Tower has a height of 634 meters and is the second highest tower after Burj Khalifa 829.84 meters. Tokyo Skytree was built in 2007 and fully completed in 2011. Not only the tower, but there is also a shopping center (Solamaci) and underground station (Tokyo Metro) near the Tokyo Skytree Tower.

2. Asakusa Temple

            There are many people going to Asakusa Temple. The tourist visited Asakusa is not only domestic tourists, but also many foreign tourists who visit this place. There are many activities that can be done in Asakusa. Those activities are includes fortune-telling, praying in the temple, washing feet and hands, Tanabata festival and shopping.

3. Harajuku

Many people with unordinary fashion style can be found in Harajuku. Harajuku is like the center place of fashion in Tokyo. There are also many shops of dress and clothing. This street is really famous and crowded. Many foreigners also visit this street.

4. Akihabara

            Akihabara is a pretty popular place to be visited. Tourists in general visit to this place to play games online, look for electronic equipment (Mobile phone, Printer, Watch, Computer Tablet, etc). In Indonesia, this place seems like Glodok and Mangga Dua Mall.

Another wonderful day in Japan, we would like to say thank you to our Japanese friends who are very helpful today! Ryoji-Takuya-Ai-Makkun-Satoshi-Reysuke :) 

Roland Sinulingga

Day-6 Trip to National Museum of Japanese History

Today activity is visiting the the National Museum of Japanese History. The way to museum is quite tough. We started from International Dormitory at 13.00. You can imagine that the weather is so hot and we have to walk to Inage Keizei Train Station. The trip to the museum is about one hour. Although, it does not feel so long because of the good infrastructure and facility of the train such as a comfortable seats with Air Conditioning, clean and save train.

The ticket payment system is also really modern with machine and we can buy the ticket to the destination we want.

After one hour trip and two time train transfer, finally we arrived in the Sakura Station and we met a Japanese girl with beautiful Kimono. We really admire the Japanese culture, and hope that we can also introduce Indonesian culture to the Japanese students when they visit Indonesia next September.

After we arrived in Sakura Station, we tought that we have arrived in the front of the museum, but we still have to walk about 1 km. It was a really tough trip, but worthed after we saw the museum. The National Museum of Japanese History is really luxurious and modern.

In the museum there are 6 gallery. Gallery one Explores the Emergence of japanese culture from the paleolithic age when human first Appeared in the archipelago. Gallery two wxplores culture and daily life from the 9th to 16th centuries. Gallery three presents the lifestyles and culture of the Edo period under four thems, in this gallery we were also taught how to write kanji. So much fun!

Gallery four explores about under the overall theme of “ Folk Cultures of the Japanese Archipelago”, this exhibition consists oh three zones. Gallery five explores Japan from the late 19^th century, when modernization began in earnest, to the 1920. And the last gallery six explores period between the 1930 and 1970 continue impact upon the lives of people in japan and around the world today.

After enjoying the museum over the 4 hours we finally decided to go back to Inage because it was already dark. A trip back to Inage  is the same initial route, Long journey makes us all hungry and close our trip with curried chicken that tastes yummy hemmm ...

Ayu Fitriatul Ulya

Day-5 Workshop on Internship

Today is the fifth day in TWINCLE program, the internship program began at 01.00 pm. In this program we are divided into 14 groups consisting of Japanese students and Indonesian students. Students from japan explained the lesson material which will be presented to Indonesian senior high school in September 2013. The Indonesian student help Japanese student to give guidance that the material can be understood by Indonesian senior high school student

UGM students were divided into 3 groups consisting of K group that discusses the removal of pollutants from water of batik fabric factory, group L which discusses what is piezoelectric element and M groups were discussing about the medianisius and expressions of light. 

Basically, the Indonesian students found that the Japanese students are really well prepared for the lesson material to be taught in Indonesian senior high school. Only several comments were added to improve the lesson in order to be fitted with the students capability and environment in the respective senior high school. 

After finished the discussion about developing lesson for senior high school in Indonesia, we still have some times left to talk about different culture between Japan and Indonesia. Mostly, we talk about language and interesting fact, attraction, and tourism places in Yogyakarta. For example, we talked about how to make Batik and its similarity with the process to make Kimono. We also share stories about several interesting culinary in Yogyakarta, such as the famous coffee added with some charcoal, namely "Kopi Joss", which can be found near Malioboro Street (Also the famous street in Yogyakarta). Since they will come in September 2013 to Jogja, they seems very interested and looking forward to come to Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Activity on the sixth day ends at 16.00. After this activity finished, April Sensei and Oshima Sensei explained about the activity on the next day.

Tomorrow, we will go to visit Japan National Museum in Chiba, we believe that it will be excited!!!

Annisaa Hamidah Imaduddina