Discovering life both in a totally foreign country and as an independent researcher has been quite a challenge so far. But everything and everyone appear to help make my new life in Japan easier. First - and I apologise for the cliché - cherry blossoms on arrival makes everything look nice. And I was pleasantly surprised that, although a huge city, Tokyo is filled with green areas and colorful flowers.

Life at ELSI has been hectic, but very enriching too. A few biology seminars have reminded me how deeply buried this is in my memory. But the challenge of understanding the main issues and ideas in different fields, all with the same goal of better understanding early Earth and the emergence of life, is what drives me everyday. The excitment with which everyone discusses their last results being the necessary fuel.

As a specific note to future foreigners thinking about coming to Japan at some point: you do have to be able to enjoy the process of learning the Japanese language. From walls of unpenetrable (but usually colorful) text, the apparition of a few recognizable kanjis here and there is a bliss. The little pleasures of understanding at least part of a sign or a food package are very refreshing and is what balances - for me - the few annoyances that come with adapting to a different culture's way of doing things that sometimes do not make sense (don't get me started with bank and cellphone subscription!

It was a pleasure to discover that the train network is great around Tokyo and it is possible to explore the different neighborhoods and surrounding areas quite easily (once you master dealing with the many different companies). Many mountains are reachable in a couple of hours and all have their fair share of history. And don't be surprised, hiking is considered cool even by high school students, so you may end up hiking next to a horde of teens for some time!

If I had to choose what is the most exciting aspect of my life here so far, it would be the food. Obviously the tastes and habits are very different from France, which makes it already very interesting to discover. But the fun part comes when you enter a supermarket or try and read a menu. What to buy? How to cook it? Adapting demands some effort (and google translate) but is incredibly fun, filled with surprise factors. And in case of emergency, it is always possible to organize a wine and cheese party!

These are my reflections after my first month in Tokyo. I am curious to see what I will think a year from now, there is so much to discover!