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- How was your life in Japan?
I lived at the Kyushu University International House while I was studying at Kyushu University. I thought that Fukuoka City, where Kyushu University is located, was similar to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. I thought I would be wasting this opportunity to be in Japan if I spent my time only studying, so I visited various places of interest in Japan, too. The most memorable was going to see the Yaku Cedar (ancient Japanese cedar) on Yakushima (Yaku Island). We finally reached Yakushima after changing buses and making connections to a boat, etc. We sometimes stayed in tents, and at a log house, we cooked our own meals. It is not an easy trip, but I was surprised to see so many elderly Japanese people participating. Universal Studios Japan opened in Osaka during spring break, and I was able to visit it on the 5th day after opening. I also visited Kobe, Kyoto and Nara, and was able to create many fond memories.
 - What kind of a relationship did you maintain with Japan after returning to Uzbekistan?
I was able to make many friends during my stay in Japan; not just Japanese friends but also people from Uzbekistan as well as many other countries. To date, 100 Uzbek students have studied in Japan through the same scholarship program as mine. I felt that there was a need to explain what circumstances were like in Japan to Uzbek students before they went to Japan to study. So, 10 friends from my study-in-Japan days and I established the Japanese Alumni Center in 2005. Membership has increased to about 80 people today. Anyone who has experienced studying in Japan can become a member of this alumni association. We have yet to start full-blown activities, but in the future, we would like to do things like publish summaries of members' master's theses on the Japan Alumni Center website.
- Do you have any advice for Uzbek students who will be going to Japan to study?
1. To get to know about Japanese culture and people, you will need to first learn Japanese. Please study the Japanese language as solidly as possible before you go to Japan to study.
2. Please make many Japanese friends during your stay in Japan.
3. Please learn as much as you can about the Japanese culture, Japanese circumstances, etc.
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