◆Unforgettable Memory in Tokyo
Lam Minh Chau
Department of Anthropology
College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Vietnam National University, HaNoi
From November 10th to 13th 2007, I have had an opportunities to attend the BESETOHA international conference as well as the extended student forum held at the University of Tokyo, Japan. During this trip, as a Vietnamese student coming to Japan for the first time and as the leader of the Vietnamese student group, I have had profound impressions about the significance of the conference as well as about the host nation, its people, culture, and lifestyle.
First, the conference, in my view, is obviously an international stage where educational managers, scholars and students from 4 countries in East Asia meet and cooperate with one another, based on the spirit of peace and fraternity. In fact, from the very beginning, this conference and forum have become the bridge for experience sharing, knowledge utilization, tradition promotion and mutual understanding among universities in particular and nations in general. Moreover, also in the conference this year, East Asia traditions of flexibility, openness and cooperation have been promoted, cultural diversity and national identity have been dignified, and especially environmental problems have been thoroughly discussed, in an academic, friendly and cooperative atmosphere.
Second, as a foreigner coming to Japan for the first time, I have been strongly impressed by the life in Japan. What made me feel exciting is the modernity and level of development of Tokyo, the capital of the second most developed nation in the world. However, the city is not only modern. It is so clean that I do have to clean my shoes after 3 days wandering around many streets. In fact, as I have seen, although the city has a huge population and an enormous number of vehicles, the traffic is really well - organized and I myself have found no traffic jams during my travel in the city.
Nevertheless, what impressed me most about Japan is its people. During my stay there, as the leader of the Vietnamese student group, I have had a chance to meet many Japanese students. They are really friendly, dynamic, and hospitable. And after this trip, it must be admitted that they are the most considerate and responsible I have ever met. This is not only the case with students, but also with ordinary people. During my stay in Japan, meeting Japanese people always made me relaxed, because they are so polite and kind.
In brief, attending the conference and having a chance to visit Japan has really become an unforgettable memory to me. After the trip, I have had further understandings about the nature and significance of the conference in particular, as well as the demand for cooperation and mutual development among four East Asia nations in general. And, it should not be forgotten that I have had an opportunity to visit Japan and to meet its hospitable, polite and warm-hearted people.
