It`s All Japanese to Me

Well, after a　few puzzling moments trying to work out why I was suddenly able to write in kanji (I didn`t know I could do that), I found the english version. Bless me, I still have trouble with these damn keyboards, everything`s upsidedowny\backtofronty. So here I am in Fukuoka, a fairly sizeable city (comparatively-speaking), about the size, in population anyway, of Adelaide. After Himeji it seems like a thriving metropolis! Actually we`re lucky to be situated pretty much in the heart of town, a stone`s throw and a bicycle ride from any number of frivolous amusements. I`ll have to be careful, am still trying to save my pennies, and now we`ll be paying more rent, so no more shopping for me.

The schools we`re at are much smaller than our old branches. Mine only has me and one other teacher. What`s more, it`s a good 40 mins by train out of the city, so I feel a little isolated. I`m certainly glad I didn`t move down here by myself, meeting people`s going to be a little more difficult than I anticipated. Oh well, all the more excuse to head out to a few locals! Stu got the better end of the deal. His school`s a little bigger and it`s five mins bike ride from home, dammit! Ok, enough complaining. The good news is We`ve already started thinking about holidays. Okinawa, Nagasaki and Thailand all beckon. Maybe even Shanghai... The plan is to put in a few months here, then piss off to some remote beach location for a few weeks to recuperate before heading home in early July, maybe even sooner of this whole work thing becomes a yawnfest!

The staff at my branch all seem really nice, they`re throwing me a little welcome party next Sunday night. Hope I don`t disgrace myself too badly, or total my loverly new bicycle! My scars are healing nicely and I don`t anticipate any further damage to my physical self in the next little while, but you never do know, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Love you all muchly, and as soon as I can I`ll work out how to post some pictures from my laptop to this computer so you can all check out my new surrounding if you care to. Good to hear you`re all coping so marvellously with the turn of events which prevents me from returning home in April as originally anticipated. I had a feeling you might.　I can`t wait to see you all really soon, but in the meantime, keep whistling (cause you know I can`t). I`ll bring you all back cheap, nasty souvenirs from some arse end of Asia.

Love and smooches all around, Mezzle