fukuoka - first blog post

My place: Day One. I had to stay in a local hotel the first night until my key and processing (with the real estate agency were done. I had to take it sight unseen, the agency trades in rooms, with check-in and out dates, so they show you a map, a floor plan, and maybe an outside photo. I had journeyed here and saw the outside of the building, liked the area, and thought it would be temporary. Turns out I like it, and although it is small, everything goes away in these cool built-in storage closets, bins, and cupboards. Anyone who remembers my apartment in Seoul (aka Sanford & Son's superstore clothing and bric-a-brac annex!) will be amazed to see the zen-like space I live in now. Looked at some other places and the locations are too crowded and boring. I am near a mountain and the local neighborhood is pretty well-populated but with a winding river and lots of nice things to occupy the eye.

As you all may know, I landed here in Fukuoka from Seoulon September 27, 2005. I started more training at Seiha where I teach pre-K through 6th grade at pre-schools and mall locations throughout the Fukuoka area. I live in a kind of pre-fab apartment out in Dazaifu which is about 20 minutes from Tenjin Station (Downtown). My rent, just under $700. includes everything, including Internet service. The planning of the city itself is rather nice, there are parks, trees, and lovely art and architecture everywhere. I have also been to some shrines and temples which are really cool. I have been promising to blog for a long time so hopefully this will keep you all up-to-date on my goings-on and various ramblings. The whole trip and move wouldn't have been possible without help from my good friends Shannon and Steve, and Dwayne and Yu-Hee in Seoul, all who were sad to see me go. My band, 'Soju Chozu' had to deal with my leaving as lead singer and I am trying to find some music stuff to do here in Fukuoka. The airport code is FUK so if I refer to that occasionally don't think I am being nasty. Met with an old guitarist the other day, he wants to do 50's greaser-rockabilly rock covering a lot of classic Elvis, Eddie Cochran, and Jerry Lee Lewis. I can see myself doing that but the guy, 'Rock n Roll Charlly' as he is known onstage, wants to be make it big and tour Europe. There are no other musicians so far so we will see what happens. The whole thing was funny actually, Charlly and I meet downtown for some coffee and he's got this pompadour, jeans oufit, with a comb sticking out of his back pocket. I guess style is a personal identifier here. I just wonder what his day job is.

I am just getting started on this blog thing, introducing you to the city and some sights. If there is anything you wanna hear about or ask, just email me and I will include it here if possible. I get a lot of emails, when you get to be my age you have met a lot of people...it has nothing to do with popularity, I assure you. Hehe. Been listening to Japanese pop/rock on MTV Japan and recently I am into the group 'Shakalabbits' (don't ask me what it means, they're just a fun, punky-sounding, power pop outfit. Now onto the tour and some words.