Sayonara Tsukuba

This post is about me. On 19th of September, I resigned from my job as a researcher of a national research institute located in Tsukuba city of Ibaraki prefecture. It was too hectic to travel every week from Akita to Tsukuba, stay in the guest house of the research institute for 2-3 days, carry out research experiments, and finally return back to Akita. My work routine has been like this since I moved to Akita in April 2007, and lately I had started feeling rather exhausted after every trip. I had worked in the same research institute laboratory for many years and it was very difficult to bid farewell to my colleagues and also to all the research machines that I used. A very nice official farewell dinner party was arranged for me and it was really enjoyable. Thank you all my colleagues!

Me receiving a flower bouquet and having dinner during farewell party


Flower bouquet given to me by my colleagues



I had been involved in the research of Physics and material aspect of semiconducting materials for the past 18 years and am surely going to miss the research life. Akita is an agriculture based prefecture with very little scope for such activities. After a few more years I might return to the research field again although I am not sure at the moment. However, I am very happy and content with my present life with hubby, and that sort of compensates for the lack of research activities.
Prior to moving to Akita, I had lived in Tsukuba city for 7 years and had made many friends there. So during my last week of work in Tsukuba, i.e., from September 16-19, I was rather busy getting a lot of farewell parties from friends too. All the four days I had lunch as well as dinner parties with my friends, except for the night when my colleagues gave the farewell dinner. Wow! It felt good to be eating nice food everyday! Although by the end of every lunch/dinner, I felt sad thinking that it might be the last time I was meeting my friends. But life has to go on.

Here I would like to specially mention my friend Sucheta who is also from India and works in another national research institute in Tsukuba. Although she is my friend, she has been more like my elder sister and my advisor in personal matters during my stay in Tsukuba and now also. She has always been there during all the ups and downs of my life. I remember that about seven years back I was going through a very rough phase in my personal life but I refused to do anything about it by pretending that everything was fine. At that time she was always there guiding and sometimes even gently scolding me! Her gentle but persistent advices helped me in getting my personal life back on track. Thank you Sucheta for all your help and for everything you have done for me. Recently I have not been able to meet her as often as I would like to but she is always there in my thoughts.

On 17th of September, I had been to Sucheta's home for dinner. The dinner was Indian style and I savored every bite of all the tasty dishes she cooked. I had a nice time playing with her kids and stayed at her home for the night. The next day in the morning while leaving for my office, she gave me many varieties of Indian snacks as present. I enjoyed eating them after returning to Akita. They were delicious. She also gave a Kurti top (Indian shirt to be worn over jeans) for me and handkerchiefs for my hubby as presents. I am really thankful to her for so many presents. I am surely going to miss playing with her sweet kids and the delicious dinners at her home.

Indian snacks presented by Sucheta

Kurti top and handkerchiefs presented by Sucheta

I am going to miss the research life and all my friends of Tsukuba. Sayonara Tsukuba.