Dear Prof. Tsujimoto,
It’s my great pleasure to be able to write a postcard to you from my new office in the Department of Microbiology at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. How are you? The time has passed so quickly, I still remember the day when I first joined your laboratory in 2008.
I first came to RIKEN in April that year, just in time for early spring. The sakura cherry blossom trees in full bloom around the RIKEN campus were so beautiful and wonderful. I was told some time later that RIKEN has a special kind of sakura with a deep pink bloom. It was so beautiful, I remember the cherry blossoms vividly.
In the Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, researchers were studying various types of proteins, including aminopeptidases, scavenger receptors and mRNA binding proteins. Each member performed their own research on proteins that they had discovered themselves. I focused on plant aminopeptidase. The lab was classic but extensive, and its research output was outstanding. The knowledge that I gained through my time in your lab is now being transferred faithfully to my students here in Thailand.
During my stay at RIKEN, I enjoyed not only the research but also many other activities. The other lab members were very welcoming and I got the chance to take part in many Japanese culture activities — two that I remember clearly are the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and fireworks festivals in summer. At the tea ceremony I got to wear a wonderful kimono. It was my first time to experience wearing a kimono, and it was really an amazing way to experience the tea ceremony.
Just before I left RIKEN, I remember we went to a Japanese restaurant where I had some of the best sashimi I’ve ever eaten. As I told you at the time, I love Japanese food, particularly sushi and sashimi, and I remember eating a lot of sashimi that night — my Japanese colleagues were surprised that I knew so many different kinds. In Thailand, sashimi is very expensive and I have not had the chance to eat it since returning home. I have to say that I miss sashimi very much.
I am really grateful for the scientific experience I acquired while working in your laboratory. I sincerely thank you and all the members in the lab. I always look forward to coming back to Japan one day and seeing my RIKEN friends. Best wishes to you all.
Yours sincerely,
Rungaroon Waditee-Sirisattha,
Chulalogkorn University,
Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
