EAPSI Pre-Departure Orientation

The initial EAPSI Orientation is a whirlwind 2 days of getting loads of information about what is going to happen over the next several months and meeting tons of new people. The first day started later in the afternoon with check in, an informational session with introductions to various people who work to make EAPSI happen, and then a dinner with the cohort. Dinner was a bit chaotic because we were just given vouchers for the hotel restaurant, which was completely unable to handle ~200 people attempting to get seated at once.  My group gave up waiting for a table and eventually managed to get food at the bar.

Hotel for EAPSI

The second day was all day working. The morning session went over things that applied to the entire EAPSI fellowship group as a whole. We also got overviews and insights from past EAPSI fellows from each country.

EAPSI Pre-Departure Orientation

After a working lunch, we separated off to get specific information about the country we were going to. In my case this was Japan, the largest cohort of EAPSI with 66 members. We learned about the weeklong orientation we would have once we reach Tokyo in June. We also got a preliminary culture and language lesson. It was fun, but I hope they don’t expect to remember anything by the time I arrive in Tokyo! I was happy that they seated us at tables according to the university we would be staying at during the summer. I was able to meet the other fellows going to Hiroshima  and exchange contact information.

At the final working dinner we exchanged abstracts and learned how to write for various audiences.

All in all, it was an extremely useful orientation. I met lots of cool researchers from all over the US and also got much needed information about what’s going to happen next.

Shortly after I returned from the orientation, my official acceptance letter from JSPS came first via email and then via snail mail. I was able to arrange my flights through JSPS’s travel agency. My host advisor has secured my housing and done the necessary paperwork for getting my money once I arrive in Hiroshima. I’m in the process of submitting revisions to my institution’s IRB and getting the various paperwork for NSF finished up. Soon, I will have to start thinking about packing and starting my amazing journey to Japan!