Greetings everyone!
It has been a while since I have posted something here on this blog of mine. But I have good news, great news in fact. On April 19th I will embark on another great adventure, the longest and most ambitious so far. For the next three years I will live in Japan and pursue my PhD in volcanology. It has taken me a long time to realize this endeavor. I finished my Master's degree almost exactly two years ago, just in time for the first wave of the Corona virus to shut down countries all over the globe. Perfect timing, really. Throughout these two years I was constantly asking myself whether I should really pursue a PhD in Japan or somewhere else. I even thought about abandoning a doctoral degree altogether. Despite these thoughts however, I looked for a fitting advisor and found someone at Yamagata University. With her help I was able to write a research proposal that got me accepted into their doctoral program. From then on I was set to start on April 1st 2022, but Japan only opened its borders again on March 1st. The bureaucratic hurdles made sure I wasn't able to enter the country until now. I can't wait to finally set foot on Japanese soil again. Say goodbye to this local cherry tree...
and hello to Japanese cherry blooming season. I will be just in time to participate in the traditional Japanese event of bearing witness to the beautiful cherry blossoms all over the country. It will be quite a sight indeed. Be ready for some pictures!
I will update you all when I have the next opportunity after my arrival in Japan. There is a lot of stuff to do in my first couple of days: Errands to run, contracts to sign, bank accounts to be opened etc. etc. But you can be sure I will find something interesting to report. Until then!
Cheerio,
Nils