This will be my first diary entry, so I’m not sure exactly what to write, but here it goes!

　So, I arrived in Kyoto about three months ago now and have enjoyed it very much so far. Before coming to Kyoto I completed a Masters degree at Monash University in Australia in bioethics and subsequently spend almost two years in Tokyo teaching English, experiencing a new, exciting and different culture and eventually looking for ways to get involved in bioethics in Japan. I met Prof. Kato at a UNESCO Bioethics conference in Tokyo in December of last year. After communicating over several months Kato San graciously offered me a research assistants position and I finally made the move to Kyoto and was very happy to be welcomed here at the Graduate School of Biostudies in Prof. Kato’s laboratory.

　Everyone at the laboratory has been very welcoming and helpful and they have all made a great effort to deal with my lack of Japanese! For that, I am very grateful. One of my best memories so far from the laboratory is the welcome party that I received, at which Kanai San meticulously prepared a delicious Kimchi Nabe (one of my favorite Japanese/Korean dishes!). We had a great time that night and I left the evening with a full stomach and satisfied feeling about the group that I had now become a part of here at Kyoto University. I am very happy to be here and look forward to many more memories, hopefully some of which I will share in this diary space.

　Until next time…

(Tom)