![\"P10100691-200x150\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fsci\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/03\/P10100691-200x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n- \n
- Name
\nMAGAMBO GATETE Elie<\/strong><\/li>\n- Country\/ Region of Citizenship
\nRepublic of Rwanda<\/strong><\/li>\n- Graduated from
\nNational University of Rwanda<\/strong><\/li>\n- Department
\nDepartment of Computer Science and Communications Engineering \uff08Master’s\uff09
\n<\/strong>African Business Education Initiative Program by JICA<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHow did you find out about Waseda University?<\/h3>\n
I attended a training called web application development using Open Source for E-Government Promotion (WAO) sponsored by JICA in Okinawa, and one of the institutions we had to visit during that time was Waseda.
\nDuring the visit,we were given a lecture about History of Waseda but mostly about how Japan e-government framework evolved.<\/p>\nBut there were other reasons I wanted to come to Japan.
\nI am a big fan of Dragonball Z and learned a lot about Japan from Dragonball Z. \u00a0We used to watch it on a French Channel on TV in Rwanda.\u00a0 We also learnt about Japan history especially Meiji revolution in high school therefore got curious about it. In Rwanda, Japan is known for its high technology so its a dream come true to learn IT in Japan for me.\u00a0 There is a lot of speculation about Japan that everything is automated and efficient; honestly, I think it is true, my experience was beyond my expectation.<\/p>\nWhy did you choose Waseda University?<\/h3>\n
![\"P1010063-200x150\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fsci\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/03\/P1010063-200x150.jpg\")
<\/a>Before I applied, I was working for a South African NPO in Rwanda that deals with health Informatics in resource challenged environments.\u00a0 In my daily work, i usually dealt with a lot of data that required lots of manipulation.\u00a0 My future plan was to pursue my studies in South Africa so I could stay close to my company because they had a wonderful team until the ABE program was announced in Rwanda by JICA.\u00a0 African Business Education (ABE) program was conceived as bridge between Japanese companies and African businesses through provision of scholarship where after graduation, we will become link between our organizations and Japanese companies. Not only Waseda was among my options of choice in the program but also I could apply for one of the trending subjects in IT, data mining. \u00a0Even though I had a background in health informatics, this was an opportunity to learn about information science in general. \u00a0All the options I could apply for were interesting but coming here in Japan would be a total life changing experience. \u00a0So I decided to go for the experience as well.<\/p>\nHow did you get information for our program?<\/h3>\n
I got most of it through the University website. \u00a0I checked everything I wanted to learn about Waseda. \u00a0I googled about my field of study, the labs I could join and checked their projects on their own website.<\/p>\n
I met friends in Okinawa who introduced me to one of Waseda science and engineering graduate from Waseda who currently owns a company in Takadanobaba. \u00a0I asked him for some information too. \u00a0He is one of the rare people I\u2019ve met in Japan who actually started their own company after Graduation whereas many people here have a sense of joining large companies after graduation. \u00a0I am still in touch with him.<\/p>\n
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?<\/h3>\n
Not specific concerns, but actually I wasn’t expecting my field of study to be that challenging. I knew only about what you could achieve in it and vaguely how it was done that why I pursued in my Master course.\u00a0 After exposure, I learnt to turn the challenge into interesting experience, my lab Sempai (Experienced) are also very helpful and I enjoy sharing idea with them.<\/p>\n
As I said, it was my second time to come to Japan, so I was more excited than worried about anything. \u00a0Also, I had visited Waseda during the training in Okinawa for a week and thought that I wanted a different experience in Tokyo after living in Okinawa. \u00a0The thought of living in a big city was exciting for me.
\nEveryone in my family was excited for me to get this opportunity with different experience.<\/p>\nHave you had any difficulties when you started a new life here?<\/h3>\n
![\"P1010061-200x150\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fsci\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/03\/P1010061-200x150.jpg\")
<\/a>In every place you go, you have to have a period of adapting yourself. \u00a0During that period, there was maybe a bit of frustration with the language and interacting with people.\u00a0 But people are helpful, and that actually comforts you knowing the local people will step out to help you even if you couldn’t communicate well.\u00a0There was also the time issue. \u00a0When I was a student back in my country, I lived close to my Campus so I did not had any previous experience of commuting everyday to University.Commuting everyday resulted into a challenging experience as there is always a social pressure of being on time here.\u00a0 The train timing, reading direction in the station was really new to me. \u00a0This issue was mostly occurred in my adaptation phase but as time went by it faded away.\u00a0Beside those, I had no any other particular problems as when we arrived, we had a session with JICA staff. \u00a0They briefed us about how things work in Japan and what to avoid and what we should do in emergency cases. \u00a0We had coordinators who looked after us whenever we had problems, so it was not like you were alone. JICA was helping us a lot during that period of adaptation.Getting used to the food was also challenging. \u00a0Most of the food I tasted tended to have a sweet flavor which was strange and new to me. \u00a0In our country, most of our dishes are salty.\u00a0 At some point, I had to add salt just to get the same taste. But on the other side, there are good dishes like Ramen and Soba which are boiled and salted, I could associate with those. I eventually ended up liking some of the sweet dishes.<\/p>\nHow is your life in Japan and Waseda?<\/h3>\n
I do not think there are any specific issues, since I started as a research student, I had a lot of time to prepare for my master\u2019s. \u00a0Everything is going smoothly now.<\/p>\n
It sometimes gets busier, but it does not bother me at all. \u00a0I manage to get my research going well and I enjoy the company and collaboration from my lab members and guidance from my Sensei as well.
\nI guess my toughest experience so far here was winter. \u00a0It was really cold. \u00a0In my country, the lowest it can get is 18 degrees Celsius. \u00a0Today it is 16 degrees and still below the lowest point in temperature from my hometown. \u00a0You can imagine how tough it was although we went through it with appropriate winter clothes.<\/p>\nWhat do you do in your free time?<\/h3>\n
I play basketball. \u00a0Where we stay, there is a basketball court. \u00a0It is actually not like a dormitory, but more of a training center. \u00a0Many people from different countries come and stay there for a while, so you meet a lot of people and do not feel alone at all.<\/p>\n
How are the relationships with your supervisor and lab members?<\/h3>\n
- Country\/ Region of Citizenship