Japan is my second home: I am now studying at Hiroshima University Graduate School on JDS* Scholarship(Yu Yu san , Myanmar)

Name: Ms. Yu Yu Htay (Myanmar)
Name of the course: Operation and Maintenance of Urban Water Supply System (Water Distribution and Service)(A)
Duration: May 26 to July 2, 2014

About myself and my first visit to Japan-as JICA participant

I am a young energetic engineer who has just come to Japan for studying at university 2 years ago and want to serve my knowledge in my community and my country too. I grew up in the developing country of Myanmar which is in the South East Asian locates between China and India. I am the only engineer in my family consisting of 3 children who have graduated and are now working. Like Japan , education in Myanmar is expensive for most parents. Even though, my parents always support all of us to become educated persons and I dreamt as I will become an engineer with internationalize Master or Doctor degree from one of the Foreign countries which are well-developed comparable all over the world.
As soon as I finished my Master course work in 2010 at Myanmar, my father asked me “my dear! Do you want to work?”, “Of course, Daddy!”. From 2010, January : I started work at Mandalay City Development Committee(MCDC), as a young engineer. After working 4 years, in 2014 May, I have a chance to learn urban water supply system, water distribution service in Japan, by JICA training Program.

At that training, I can learn not only Osaka city water supply system at Osaka Municipal Water Work Bureau (OMWB) but also Kobe and Tokyo cities water supply system according to this program. During this training, I can learn developed and modernized water supply technical and also simple traditional techniques especially in OMWB. At Tokyo, I can learn NRW (Non Revenue Water) reduction and detecting of water leakages by using various leakage detection equipment. From this training course, I realize how much important role of urban water supply system for a city or country is besides I already understood the water supply engineer role in my carrier life!

My second visit to Japan-on JDS Scholarship

Also one thing I admire most in Japan is that leakage rate in Japan is not more than 2% that I noticed from this training since water leakage is the major problem in Mandalay City Water Supply System. May be this information make much inspiration to me for trying to get scholarship in Japan!
Another thing I felt form this training experience is that Japan is so safe for Asian single female and culture is not much difference with Myanmar as during eating we don't want to talk much and silent eating is also polite way in Myanmar that is same at here. Fortunately, I can get another opportunity to try Japan scholarship program after came back to my country from JICA training program in 2014, October: I can try for JDS scholarship program. I try my best for this program and it last nearly ten months and one who want to get this scholar have to pass four steps which are TOFEL English and Maths test, Technical Interview, Medical Check-up and Final Comprehensive Interview. Before this four steps, I had to write application form with research proposal as mini thesis and had to submit hard copy with necessary documents to JICE* national office at Yangon so during this time I had to come and go back from Mandalay and Yangon very frequently.

JICA Program has driven me to where I am now-I will try hard for my city and my country

Finally, I got a chance to study at Japan about Master of Urban Planning in Hiroshima University for two years since I arrived here; Japan in August 25; 2015 and now already finished one year and I got my necessary credits for master degree. Furthermore, I start try to complete my Master Research as Thesis and I emphasize to research in Urban Water Supply as Modeling and Management of Mandalay city Water Supply Network System by computer programming and simulation software with ArcGIS map.
Everything I need for my student life and research are supported by JICE and I have to meet one of the JICE staffs according to monitoring meeting in every three months and I can request the requirements and can submit other documentaries.
In conclusion, JICA training program made energetic to become today scholar student in Japan and everything in here are very convenient and safe for my daily life and I will try hard as much as I can for my professional life, my city dwellers and also for my country.

JDS : The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS))
JICE : Japan International Cooperation Center