JIJ Vol 006 - Small update - Arrival in Fukuoka.

Just a small post to let everyone know that I am okay - nothing too special. I arrived at Hakata Station in Fukuoka last monday afternoon. I immediately moved into the dormitory and met faculty and students in my studio.

This past week has been basically settling into the dormitory and getting things up and going. I have had to run around town to get paper work done and currently have no internet at my dormitory. So I am postponing my write up about Kyoto, Osaka, and Takamatsu until then. Hopefully I will get the internet some time next week. I have also spent a great deal of this past week helping the two architecture students from Cal Poly move in and make their settlement in Japan a bit easier. Not to be arrogant or anything - but if I had not been around for them... I think things would have been a lot different. But I am so glad to help those guys around. I think by now they have got the hang of how things work in Japan.

This week school started - actually I had school today. Unfortunately classes are in Japanese - but today I was able to understand like the basic concept of what was going on. The thing that is killing me most... is not knowing enough vocabulary and reading Kanji. Thus, I have started teaching myself kanji - learning a few at a time. Hopefully doing about 5 every night will help me study.

Classes that I am taking at school:
- Landscape Architecture with Kanekiyo sensei
- Urban Planning
- Project D (4th year Landscape Architecture + Architecture studio). this class is not till thursday but the premisis of this class sounds interesting. there is a site that has been selected in Fukuoka that has been greatly damaged by a recent earthquake (i think earlier this year - i vaugely remember reading it in the news... right around the same time the huge tsunami in south east asia hit). This site has now become a case study and a wonderful opportunity for Kyushu University students to do their studies and work. It sounds really interesting and I am most intrigued - I cant wait till thursday.
- No credit japanese language class at Chikushi campus.

In addition to classes... I have joined the Namaoto club - which is a wind ensamble here on campus. Practice is on tuesday evenings. I am glad to have found a wind ensamble to practice with. things have been most interesting since I have reached Fukuoka.

So many people have never heard of Fukuoka... let alone Kyushu. Fukuoka is most famous for two things: Potato Sochu (japanese vodka made with potato) and Hakata Ramen. Apparently this Potato Sochu is only available in Kyushu and is only 25% proof. Amazing ne? Hakata ramen is basically ramen with chinese pork slices. In japanese they call this Chyasu pork. In addition to these tasty things - downtown Fukuoka (Tenjin) is most famous for their little food stalls all lined up out on the streets. People have little wood wagons that serve ramen, donburi, oden, and/or yakitori out on the streets - its fairly interesting and they only come out at night.

Fukuoka city is definately a sight of its own - quite different to all the other cities I have been to. It has a more friendly atmosphere and things feel "at home" to me. Other than that - things are slowly settling down. I think things will be okay in a few weeks (like next month). When I recieve internet - I shall post photos and share more about my trip in Japan. Until then please wait until then. Sore ja mata ne!

Also, for those who want this information:

My address is:
Fukuoka-shi, Minami-ku Ijiri 2 chome 36-40-315, 811-1302 Japan

My telephone number is: (no cell phone... not for a few weeks)
092-586-4111-9315
(Dial the first 3 set of numbers, wait till the lady is finished talking, dial the 9315 extention after)