As some of you may know last July I have requested the Monbukagakusho (MEXT) scholarship to go to Japan for two years, to do research at Kitsuregawa Lab at Tokyo University. As I wrote earlier, I had already passed the preliminary selection in August last year, and had been accepted into Tokyo University shortly after. The only thing I was still waiting for was the final approval from the Japanese government that I would get the scholarship.

That approval has not yet officially arrived, however a recent e-mail from Tokyo University implied that they believed I had been accepted, which prompted me to call the Japanese Embassy, who called MEXT in Japan, and told me that it was true: I've got the scholarship!

The paperwork isn't done yet, which is why neither me nor the Embassy had been informed yet, but it is official. Next April I will fly to Tokyo, Japan, where I will stay for two years. I can hardly believe that it is really happening, but it is!

You will believe I'm more than a little elated about this! Finally I have certainty after months of waiting!

Because the paperwork isn't finished, I don't have all the details yet. For instance, although I know I'll be leaving in the first week of April, I don't yet know the date or other flight details. I also don't know precisely where in Tokyo I will live, although it's likely I will end up in an international house (special housing for international students), one of which is on the same campus as Kitsuregawa Lab, so that would be very convenient.

Of course, this blog is the place where I will keep all those who are interested up to date on all this. In fact, the possibility that I would be going to Japan was one of the main reasons why I started a blog in the first place.

Now however comes the really hard part. I have to focus on my work for the remainder on the day while what I really want to do is stand on the roof and shout it: I'm going to Japan!

Categories: Japan
Posted on: 2007-01-23 11:21 UTC.