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From Malaysia to Japan: A Hanami of Knowledge and Culture

Studying abroad has always been a dream of many young Malaysian students, including Nurul Atiqah binti Kasim, who has always wanted to pursue her studies in either Australia or Japan. The thrill of exploring a new language made her choose Japan. Fast forward a few years, she is now in her fourth year as an Economics student at Shiga University.

She was supposed to start her degree in March 2020. But, as we all know, COVID-19 disrupted our lives and plans, and therefore, she had to take a gap semester and postpone her start date. It was already autumn when she finally arrived in Japan in November 2020, and the days were shorter than anticipated.

“I remembered the seniors taking us out to do some paperwork. When we were done, it was already dark out, and I assumed it was already 8 or 9 pm. So, imagine my shock when the seniors suggested we head out to the supermarket to buy some necessities. Only then did I realise that it was only around 5pm or so!” Atiqah laughed as she remembered her first few days in Japan.

Living her life to the fullest

When asked about the highlights of her life in Japan, Atiqah listed three achievements that she is proud of.

The first was being the only international student to represent her university in an intervarsity event, which gave her the opportunity to talk about her life in Japan as an international student.

Atiqah also had the opportunity to develop her skills outside of the classroom. She helped her lecturer to publish a book, where she designed the book cover and formatted the book content. This allowed her to develop her skills in Microsoft Word.

And, lastly, it would be her involvement with the Malaysian Students’ Association in Japan (MSAJ). MSAJ has over 1,200 subscribers to their newsletter, and the committee consists of almost 60 students who organise events and activities for the Malaysian student community in Japan. One of their activities is the Japan-Malaysia Sports Diversity Festival, which was recently held in mid-December 2023 in collaboration with the Japan Sports Association and the Malaysian Embassy in Japan.

Before coming to Japan, Atiqah never imagined herself being a part of something so big. From a member in her 2nd year, she is now the current president for MSAJ. Her experience in MSAJ has allowed her to grow as a person. She met many people and explored various activities outside of her university life.

One of MSAJ’s notable projects last year was the MSAJ Career Fair 2023. With financial support from TalentCorp under the MyHeart Young Global Leader (YGL) Programme, this initiative provided students the opportunity to connect with leading companies and industry experts, acquire experience and knowledge and explore job opportunities. The event saw participation by over 120 students and featured 18 companies, including PETRONAS, Perodua, ExxonMobil Malaysia and many others.

There’s more to Japan that what you see on social media and entertainment

When you think of Japan, the first few words that comes in mind would be words like Shibuya Crossing, Cherry Blossoms or Mount Fuji. Anime and TV shows have made big cities Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto popular tourism hotspots but there are a lot of hidden gems in Japan that are not as well-known as their famous counterparts.

“For instance, I think Gifu prefecture is underrated. It is really pretty with a lot of nature to explore,” she says. (Note: Gifu is in central Japan, close to Nagoya and about 2.5 hours’ drive from Kyoto and 5 hours’ drive from Tokyo).

One of her favourite spots in Japan so far is Kamikōchi, a national park near Nagano in the Japanese Alps with beautiful hiking trails and magnificent views. “It feels like the Swiss Alps, but here in Japan!” Atiqah adds.

Looking for opportunities to contribute to Malaysia

For Atiqah, having a small community of Malaysian students in Japan has been helpful in overcoming any loneliness or homesickness. Her Malaysian community has become a second family, a second home for her in Shiga.

“People think that studying and living abroad is always fun and cheery. But in reality, you feel like a stranger who doesn’t belong anywhere. You are not a local in Japan, but you also feel like a stranger when you return home to Malaysia because you’ve been away for so long,” says Atiqah. However, meeting up with old friends in Malaysia made her feel like nothing had changed, even though they were all on different journeys across the world.

“I guess home is not just the place, but the people that made it feel like home,” she added.

Atiqah firmly believes that the experience of studying and living abroad has broadened her perspectives and given her a lot of opportunities to explore new things.

“It can be uncomfortable to try something new, especially at a place where you have to learn a new language. But the end result can be so rewarding and fulfilling. Like people say, it’s better to try and fail, rather than not trying at all.”

Atiqah also believes that by studying and living abroad, you gain a lot of expertise and knowledge that can and should be shared with the community in Malaysia. For her, if we cannot give back to the community directly, then we should at least acknowledge the privilege that we get and be mindful of the people and support that we have been given to help us get to where we are.

“This is why I like the MyHeart platform – it allows me to connect with other Malaysians studying and working across the world and learn from their own experiences and journeys.”

If you are a Malaysian student studying abroad like Atiqah, join the MyHeart community today to learn more on how you can benefit from the community of Malaysians abroad.

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Dr Catheryn Lim

Who is Dr Catheryn Lim?

Currently a Senior Research Fellow at Matthew Wood group and Chair, Early-Mid Career Researchers Committee at Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford. Received her Ph.D., Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry from UNSW Dr. Lim is now working on understanding disease mechanisms and developing genetic treatments for neuromuscular diseases. Two of these strategies are now at later stages of development where she is collaborating with industrial partners to optimise the strategies in preparation for first-in-human clinical trials.

Format of the sharing session

The participants for the session consisted of students and academicians coming from various biological and related sciences background.

During the session, Dr. Lim shared about her experience and journey in the research world and delved into the new developments being made in genetic treatments (specifically in neuromuscular diseases). She also shared some tips and advice on how to be active in the biotechnology research industry.

Outcome

The session has exposed 183 participants to new development in genetic treatments (specifically in neuromuscular diseases).

Dr Aid Fawzal

Who is Dr Aid Fawzal?

Experienced CFD Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive, energy and oil & gas industries. Strong professional background with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical, Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering from Coventry University. Invented a constant number which is called the Fawzal Number (Fa) which is used to optimize supercar’s cooling system.

Format of the sharing session

Our participants consist of students from various engineering field and various level of studies, from bachelor’s degree to PhD.

During the session, Dr Aid shared with us the step-by-step process involved in designing a car using a simulation software where he explained why certain components are designed in such ways and the importance of each component. He also shared some tips to students who are planning to go into the automotive field.

Outcome

The session has benefited 284 participants with new knowledge and exposure to the automotive world and inspire our future engineers to pursue and improve our automotive industry.

Samantha Chong

In 2022, we collaborated with KL City Opera and organised a masterclass with Samantha Chong, a Malaysian mezzo-soprano based in Hong Kong

Objective

To develop the performing arts scene in Malaysia via a collaboration with a leading name in classical Italian opera.

Format of the masterclass

The masterclass was held over 2 days, where 4 participants were selected to perform an aria or duet. Samantha then provided verbal and demonstrative feedback to each participant for 7-9 minutes each, which included song and scene interpretation, and stage presence.

Outcome

Samantha made a conscious effort to focus her sharing NOT on singing, but on the various aspects of performance, something that Malaysian performers lacked. So, MyCollabs acted as a medium for her to guide the students in navigating the world of classical opera, including dealing with different stakeholders like conductors, music directors and repetiteurs.

The students, on the other hand, received a rare opportunity to undergo a masterclass conducted by a seasoned performer for free. They could then use the knowledge they gained to enhance their opera skills and hopefully, pursue a career as full-time professional opera singers, something which is a rarity in Asia.