Under the guidance of Professor Kawakami, graduate student Pradeep and post doctorate Tanabe-san, my project studied the involvement of dorsomedial telencephalic pallium of zebrafish’s brain in emotional learning and memory. Using a 50 min active avoidance response assay that I have developed, I tested with varies Gal4 transgenic lines carrying defects in the dorsomedial telencephalic pallium due to genetic ablation by neurotoxin (Botulinum toxin B). And from my studies, I was able to prove that defects in subpopulations of neurons localized in this specific brain region indeed leads to defect in acquisition of fear memory.

Coming from a laboratory that is constantly noisy in Singapore, the switch to a quiet working environment in a Japanese laboratory was probably one of the most difficult things to bear initially. However, this awkwardness was soon overcome by the warmness of my colleagues. During work time, no matter how busy they may seem, they never fail to offer their help with a cheerful smile. During off working hours, they revealed personalities that are almost splitting images of their quiet selves in laboratory. They are bubbly and friendly, always offering to bring me around to sightsee and eat Japanese delicacies. They laughed heartily at jokes which make you forget all the stress accumulated at work. They are simply lovely company to be with.

Aside from life in laboratory, the 2.5 month of stay in Mishima was definitely one of the most memorable moments of my life. And why do I say so? This is because I have experienced many of my first times here. While being in Japan was not my first time, it was my first time traveling all alone, my first time seeing Mt Fuji with my own eyes, my first time picking tea leaves dressed in a traditional yukata, my first time puking twice despite only taken four rides at Fuji Q-highland, my first time eating piping hot black eggs on the top of a volcanic mountain in Hakone, my first time seeing fireflies, my first time waking up in the midnight and realizing that I had being sleeping alongside with a 8cm long centipede tickling me all the while, my first time making so many Japanese and international friends, my first time whipping up an edible dish, my first time being scolded for walking and eating at the same time, my first time seeing a country in which its people are so proud of their culture that you never fail to hear them practicing every night for the summer festival more than a month before the actual event and my first time feeling extremely unwilling to part from a place and its people.

Parting was the saddest moment and it ended with a blast with all the co-interns and graduate students gathering at Atami for the fireworks display. Seeing the magnificent colors peppering the clear night skyline, it was as if there was some hidden message trying to reach out to us: Hope you have enjoyed your stay in Japan! I definitely did so.

Also unforgettable were the moments when my sensei and friends bided me farewell and inspired me with their advices. I was especially touched by the kind words of cafeteria obaachan, Yamaguchi-san. Even though I was not able to fully comprehend the entire conversation in Japanese, I understood that she wanted me to be brave and go forth to venture in this world. In her words: “世界でお世話になりました”, she believed that the world had taken good care of her children that had been staying overseas for long period of time and she believes that it would do so for me too. I would cherish those words and all those precious moments I have spent in Mishima as well as in NIG. I would miss this wonderful place along with all its beautiful memories.