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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
BCMS official visit to Mayor Kazufumi Onishi of Kumamoto City on Oct. 2, 2015.
Kumamoto, Japan trips
are a valuable experience
By James L. Humphreys, MD
2015 BCMS President
As I write this, we are returning from another successful is getting to know the folks from the Bexar County Medical
trip overseas. It is fall of an odd-numbered year so that must Society who go along with me. Most of the people who
mean it is time for a BCMS trip to Japan to visit our col- have gone on this trip are doctors that I haven’t met at all
leagues in Kumamoto. That always means a few days of before and there’s no better way to get to know some folks
sightseeing and riding the bullet train to get down there. quickly than to spend a week in a foreign country with
them.
I have made the trip to Kumamoto eight times now, so
I obviously enjoy it. I have made a number of friends there, I have met some fabulously interesting people on these
from older doctors that I have seen each time since my first trips and this year was no exception. Our delegation really
trip all the way to the medical students who came and stayed got along pretty well and I had some excellent travelling
at my home last year as part of the Kumamoto delegation companions. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to get
that visited us. to know them and make some new friends in my home
town. They all made this trip special for me and I really ap-
I think everyone that goes on this trip would readily agree preciate it.
that the members of our sister medical association in Ku-
mamoto are incredibly gracious hosts and really go all out Lastly I need to give a special thanks to Mrs. Hiroko Fay,
to make us feel welcome and to see how they go about car- our long-standing Japanese mom who has gone on all of
ing for their patients. If you haven’t been on this trip I these trips to help us with translations and to navigate us
heartily recommend it as we continue to make refinements through Japanese hotel, transportation system, and restau-
every time we go to make the travel easier and more enjoy- rant bureaucracies to get what we need done. She makes
able for everyone in the delegation. these trips so much easier than they would be otherwise and
I owe her a lot for all of the things she has taught me. Love
As much as I enjoy reconnecting and seeing my Japanese you, Mom!
friends again on these trips the most valuable aspect to me
8 San Antonio Medicine • November 2015
