Monthly Archives: March 2012

Last day of the conference

I checked out the hotel and walked to the convention center. I was there till 2 PM, and left  for Hamamatsu Station. I bought tickets to Kofu via Shizuoka. I took a bullet train to Shizuoka and changed to “Fujikawa” an express train, which runs on Minobu line. Minobu line was destroyed by a typhoon on September 21, 2011 and had not been used till March 17, 2012. In the train, there was an announcement telling how the railways were repaired. Fujikawa is known for its switchback. I arrived in Kofu at 6 PM. Katya and Maya-san came to pick me up. At home, I gave Katya green-tea puddings. They tasted … Continue reading

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Second day of the conference

In the morning, I did not have my suit yet. After the morning talks, I went back to the hotel. My suit was there from Nagoya Station. So in the afternoon, I was wearing it. From 6 PM, there was a party for the participants. I met a lot of my old friends there.

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First day of the conference

I woke up and called to Nagoya station, asking about my suitcase left in a bullet train. “Sorry, the store room opens at 1 PM”. I did not know why they close it till afternoon, but I told them that I would call again in the afternoon. I had breakfast and left the hotel. I walked to the convention center “ACT CITY HAMAMATSU“. The problem was that I was going to chair the first four talks at the conference in the morning. A student of my institute let me use his jacket, so I did not look so humble as a chairman. I stayed listening to the presentations in the … Continue reading

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Business trip to Hamamatsu

After staying overnight in the office, I came back home at 7 AM and slept for 20 minutes. Then I left home to my office. Today, I was going to go to Hamamatsu for a conference, so I kept working hard. I came back home from the office at 7 PM. After I had dinner, I packed my suitcase. Katya took me to Kofu station. The train left Kofu for Hachioji, Shin-Yokohama, and Hamamatsu. In the bullet train from Shin-Yokohama Station, cars were full and I was not able to find a seat, so I kept standing  for 30 min. From Shizuoka Station, I was sitting down and went to sleep. … Continue reading

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Staying in the office

I will be leaving for a business trip tomorrow. So many things to be done! After dinner, I came back to my office. I will be working all tonight.

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ReRehearsal for the conference presentation

After the meeting from 9 to 11 AM, I started working with my duties. From 3:30 to 7:30 PM, there was a rehearsal again of the four students who are presenting  at a conference starting in a few days. Gee, I am joining the conference, too, and before the conference, I need to finish a lot of works, but I did not have enough time to work today. I will work hard tomorrow.

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Strawberry Hunting

In the morning, Katya, Maya-san, and I headed for a greenhouse farm, “Dei Kinue Noh-en (Dei Kinue’s Orchard)” for what is called a “strawberry hunt”, picking up strawberries in the greenhouse and eat them there. There are ten strawberry farms in this area, but we normally visit this one because they cultivate strawberries completely organically with no agrochemical at al, which is extremely uncommon for strawberries. And they let dogs to eat berries, too. It is not easy to reserve a “hunt”, because the amount of strawberries for hunting is very limited. In an average, 10 people are allowed in a week to a green house. If you make a reservation, … Continue reading

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Preparation for the conference meeting

The conference meeting awaits us at the end of March in Shizuoka prefecture. From this morning on Saturday, eight students made the rehearsals.  It took eight hours in all. We, the teachers, got tired. Six of them will make rerehearsals. Katya tried “Barista” today. The taste was not as rich as a real coffee maker, but it works.  

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Student’s parents meet me

The parents of my Ph. D student living in Shzuoka prefecture have been in Kofu for a couple of days to attend his graduation and to help him move from his apartment. This evening, they visited me. It was my first time to meet them. We had a pleasant conversation. I wished luck to my students. The parents gave souvenirs to me and to Katya. A bottle of sake, “Isojiman“, for me.    For Katya, a box of strawberries, “Akihime“. . They were very big and sweat.

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Graduation and Final Farewell Party, 2012

It was a graduation day today. From 10 Am to 4:30 PM, people were giving speeches and diplomas, celebrating students with good grades, taking group pictures, etc. I was involved in many ceremonies. After all those, bachelors, masters, and Ph. D students, and professors took two buses and left at 5 PM for Isawa in Fuefuki city, a hot spring area.  It took 20 min from the institute. We arrived at a hotel, Keizan. It was sort of a fancy hotel. Inside the hotel, dolls for Girls’ Day were displayed. A woman was playing the Japanese harp to welcome us. The party room was of a Japanese style. The foods were good. … Continue reading

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