A half-full upgraded size glass bottle. 

“Honestly, being part of IDAC is something beyond my imagination…

…I never thought I would ever become part of such a great and historic research institute!” 

Sisca Meida
Department of Gene Expression Regulation (DGER)
Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer

Hi, I’m Sisca from Indonesia and I’ve been an IDAC member since October 2016. Honestly, being part of IDAC is something beyond my imagination and I never thought I would ever become part of such a great and historic research institute. In 2016, I was accepted by Hozumi Motohashi sensei as part of the Department of Gene Expression Regulation (DGER) at IDAC. That was my other blessing from God.

Motohashi sensei is an inspiring woman in science who has a strong desire to develop and spread science, and she is also very innovative with many brilliant ideas, and I really adore her intelligence. Motohashi sensei and my lab mates were also very considerate of my needs especially during my first year at the Institute. In the beginning, I had a very tough research experience as I came to IDAC as “an empty glass bottle”, and faced many challenges to perform research due to my lack of experience. Fortunately, Motohashi sensei and my lab mates helped me during my difficult times as they patiently and clearly taught me everything that I needed to know.

Personally, I thought it would be very hard to live abroad without my husband or my family and almost wanted to give-up many times. Moreover, I came to Sendai when I was 13 weeks pregnant and I could not imagine how I would possibly spend my time in Sendai. However, when I finally made the decision to live in Sendai, having a very helpful sensei and lab mates made me so enthusiastic, which kept me going. The endless support from my husband and family also gave me the strength to rejuvenate my spirit again.

As a Muslim coming from a Muslim country, I never had difficulties to pray in public areas, and to much of my surprise, I found that it is not too difficult to pray in public places or find Halal food in Sendai too, it just needs a bit more effort. The people of Sendai often wonder and are curious when I pray in public, but I think that it is a normal reaction as many of the local residents are not accustomed to seeing Muslims pray. I do find it uncomfortable sometimes, but I never experienced any discrimination or intimidation because of my religion in Sendai. The people are very understanding and are very friendly to be around, and this is why Sendai will always be a part of my heart. I cannot express how Sendai has “colored” my life, but Sendai to me is full of humble, well-mannered people with beautiful green areas where ancient and modern infrastructures merge. All these things make Sendai a comfortable and an unforgettable place to live.

Although I came to IDAC as “an empty glass bottle”, I will soon leave IDAC as “a half-full upgraded size glass bottle”, since a full glass bottle will not be able to receive any more water.