I was 12 when I first came to Sapporo. Ever since, I had never forgotten this beautiful city. 13 years later, I got the chance to come back, and then spent 6 unforgettable years in Sapporo.

My study in Hokkaido University is truly a long story. It started in November 2010 when I entered medical school of Hokkaido University as a research student. First winter was with endless snow and home sick, but I could get through thanks to Japanese and international friends I made in Japanese classes in Hokkaido University. Next July I got married. My husband and I decided to study together in Hokudai. It wasn’t easy for us as self-support students. We had to work hard to support our life and study at the same time, but I feel our life in Japan really started there.

In 2012 I started PhD curse. It was completely different from my undergraduate study in China. There were no weekends or holidays, I had to keep doing experiments repeatedly, reading scientific articles, and working for our life. On June 17th 2015 our son was born when my study was at the very crucial time, because it was the final year of my PhD. Only studying itself was difficult, raising a baby at the same time was even harder for both of us. I could never graduate without the support and encouragement of my supervisors, my teachers and all my dearest friends. Most importantly, the great nursery I got for my son saved my life.

I have seen many changes of Hokudai and Sapporo. New school buildings, new faces. Every new semester I welcomed many new friends, but there were sad moments to say goodbye when they leave. I respect and admire the young people who go abroad for study because I believe every one of them have to overcome many difficulties during the study. I experienced a single international student, a foreign couple and a foreign family. And I got a lot of great Japanese or international friends who have the same or different experiences with me, I learned a lot from them.

Looking back, those 6 years seem quite short, but at the same time quite long. I can remember every single day full of happiness and achievements. I was a little girl when I first came to Japan, now I am a mother, a wife and also a researcher. I experienced such great changes of me during my stay in Japan, and that is the most important part of my life.