Fukuoka and What it has to Offer

Me and Classmates

My host father and host mother

Host father playing the guitar

Cute Bags in Tenjin

My futon

Students cleaning the classroom at the end of the day

My bedroom without the futon in it

View from a park near my house

Greetings from Japan, my faithful readers. Fukuoka is quite possibly one of the most beautiful cities on earth. My room is a traditional style, with tatami mats and a Japanese style futon, which is very very cool.

My host parents are very kind. My host father used to work for Shell Oil Company, but I'm not sure what my host mother's career was. They have three children, all three are grown.

My school is very nice, and very Catholic. In my classroom, there is a cross and a picture of baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary hanging above the black board. A little out of place in Japan, if you ask me. The grounds are so spectacular, though. Beautiful views from every direction, large gardens with exotic plants. It's very very nice.

I also had the opportunity to go to Tenjin, Fukuoka's shopping district. As many of you may already know, I love shopping. Therefore, I love Tenjin.

I am sorry that I update so rarely, but because I am actually attending school and doing things, it is very difficult for me to find the time to write. I will try to post at least something brief, but I may fail. I am posting all of my photos to an online photo gallery, and I do that more frequently than I write, so if you are interested in seeing what I am doing, you can post your email address in a comment on this blog and I will send you an invitation to view the gallery.

Fun facts that I've learned from my trip:

• In Japan, nobody obeys traffic laws. If you want to cross the street, you're going to cross the street. And, if people are crossing the street, you are going to drive your car as close as possible to them without actually physically running them over.
• Students clean the entire school in Japan, there are no janitors.
• If you say anything in Japanese. Anything at all, your Japanese friends will be impressed.
• In Japan, everything is adorable. Absolutely everything. Everything everything everything. I love it.

I will continue to come up with fun facts, but that is all I can think of now.

Jordan

So much for posting everyday

Wandering the streets of Tokyo in the dark and rain

However, I made it to Tokyo! It's been a long journey, but I'm now here, and loving it. Driving through in the afternoon was shocking. It is entirely unrecognizable. But, as soon as night fell and everything lit up, it was amazing. The lights here are so bright that it feels like day time at 9 PM.

The food we were served was adorable. Everything was in it's own little pocket, and we even got mini bottles of soy sauce.

Tomorrow, it's off to the US embassy in order to meet some government officials, then we have a museum tour amongst other things

Life is super exciting.

Oh! Also! I'll be living in Fukuoka city, Fukuoka prefecture. This happens to be the same exact city where Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla was filmed. It's pretty big, and really nice. I'm staying with a retired couple and attending an all girl private Catholic school. Can't wait to go!

I'm going to post as often as possible, and include awesome pictures.

<3 Jordan