Fook Mi? Fook Yu!

Welcome to Fukuoka, Japan!

I had to go to Japan on Thursday to get my Visa. I had to leave my apartment between 5 to 6 am to make it on time for my 930 flight. I was debating whether or not to stay up all night to make sure I didn't miss my flight (I'm a pretty anxious traveller, I always think I'm going to miss everything or forget something). Anyway, Gina went home on Friday, so she gave me a ton of her stuff like a futon, coffee table, silverware, pots and pans, and her left over food. By the time I got everything in my apartment, it was already 2am, so I just stayed up. I caught a cab from my apartment to COEX terminal, where you can catch a bus from Seoul to Incheon International Airport. I noticed the cab driver made a wrong turn (or what I thought was a wrong turn, because I'm unsure of directions here). We drove for about 10 minutes before I was like "uhh COEX terminal?" He was like ohhhhhhh so sorry so sorry, he thought I said a different terminal. I was like great start. So I finally got to COEX, and he only charged me $5 instead of the $10 the fare thing was showing because he took me to the wrong place, although I kept telling him it was my fault because I pronounced it wrong.. but it was useless because he didn't speak English.

I got into the terminal, bought a bus ticket, and waited in line for the ATM. I heard it was better to bring money and exchange it to Yen instead of trying to find an ATM that takes international cards in Fukuoka, so I made sure I brought enough money. It was finally my turn at the ATM and this Korean guy about my age just stepped right in front of me. I don't know enough Korean to yell at him, so I just yelled at him to myself. I finally got to use the ATM, and as soon as I got my money, my bus left (with the kid who cut in front of me on it!) I was like another great start. I got a coffee and waited for the next bus. 

I got to the airport and exchanged my 380,000 Won and got 26,000 Yen. Japan is so expensive! 

I went to the bathroom when I got to the Japan airport, and was greeted by this toilet that you squat over!

I made it to Japan and took the subway to the area where the Consulate is. Fukuoka looks like any other ordinary city. Actually, every city looks like every other city, except for Prague, which was unique and beautiful. One difference is that Japanese people live in houses, and Koreans think houses are dumb and would rather live in apartments.. I dunno why. But the houses were really cool and what you would think Japanese houses look like. They have perfectly manicured trees.

Jazz and blues music was playing everywhere in Japan! The subways, malls, airport, it was great. I made it to the Consulate, only to find out that it was closed for lunch and I had to come back in an hour. So I walked down the street looking for the nearest place to just chill for an hour (I also had to make a test/study worksheet for one of my international school students). I ran into this giant dome that is home to the Fukuoka baseball team. It is the Yahoo! Dome

There was also the Fukuoka Hard Rock cafe.

After an hour I went back to the Consulate. I turned in all my papers and passport and everything, and studied a map for a place to stay. I was so tired, anxious (if anyone knows me in this state, it isn't pretty), thinking about this test I had to make.. then a girl from Toronto named Natasha walked in and told me she was staying in a hotel near the Consulate, so I went there and got a room. I was instantly relieved, but still tired, but I wanted to see some sights, so me and Natasha set off. Around where we were staying was a lovely park. There was a huge pond in the middle of it filled with giant fish, turtles, ducks, and swans. People were napping on the benches all around (I was so jealous!). There was also a bridge and land going through the middle of the pond:

This is a picture of the land in the middle of the pond

same gazebo, but from on the island

just some island pics

I was also dying to see a Japanese garden, so we went to one next. It was closing though so we couldn't stay long.

We then decided to get something to eat, and naturally we both wanted sushi. On our way to find a place, we saw this creek filled with giant lily pads or whatever they're called. They were at least 3 feet high!

Natasha was gracious and daring enough to start asking everyone where we could find Japanese food. One response was "No Japanese food here", the other response was "uhh.. Donut Shop" with a point to the donut shop. We were like what is this? We are in Japan but there's no Japanese food?!? Finally, someone showed us to a restaurant that sold sushi, one that would have been impossible for us to find on our own. It was so good! I wish I would have taken a picture, but I was dead tired and about to fall off my stool. Real sushi is just a rice ball with a piece of raw fish over top of it, not the wrapped up stuff we have in the US, that's called something different here. Anyway, we didn't know what we were ordering and no one spoke English, so we just guessed. I had an assortment of different colored fish, stuff I would have never guessed. The only thing I recognized was the salmon, which is my favorite. Another one was like peach colored, one was a really beautiful deep blue, and I think one was octopus! There were also fish eggs, but they creeped me out. I tried a few, but they burst in your mouth and just taste like sweet salt.

I went back to the hotel and got to work on the study test. I was so happy to get it done and go to bed.

The next morning, Natashi and I met at the Consulate to get our passports and Visas. We had some time to kill, so we wondered around some more. We found the beach, although it was kinda dirty and not what you would think, although there was one person laying out.

We also went to another Fukuoka attraction called Canal City. It was an open air posh shopping mall with a little canal/water way running through it. Every half hour there is a water show from the fountains. The music for one of the shows was the theme song to Pirates of the Caribbean! It was so cool.

I went back to the airport early to make sure I made my flight. I was hopin I'd be able to check in and roam around the airport looking for bookstore. WRONG! I got there at 3 for my 7 oclock flight. However, they wouldn't let you check in until 2 hours before your flight! And there were like no shops! (Sorry Amy, I guess Japanese people don't do shots because I couldn't find shot glasses anywhere in Fukuoka, they did however have sake glasses, but with extremely provocative images drawn on them). I found an Fukuoka newspaper written in English, so I just read that. When I was allowed back to the terminals, it was another disappointment! There was only 10 terminals in the airport. There was one like 5 shops and they were Tiffany's, Lancome, Estee Lauder and stuff like that. I had a few beers with a Canadian guy and flew home. 

On Saturday after work I made the journey to Emily's apartment in Suji. She made me "pancakes". I was  hopin for some Bisquick or Aunt Jemima or anything, but her pancakes were crepes! They were good though. I brought her a bottle of honey and Pennsylvania maple syrup to eat with out pancakes. Then she made me some "proper" English tea (if I was near an ocean you best believe I would have thrown it in!) and some posh butter biscuits from Herald's. It was good, but notice how I am sitting on the floor because she has no furniture at all..

We were supposed to meet her friend from England in Itaewon. First we went to E-mart (their version of Wal-mart) so I could get a drying rack (I finally figured out my washing machine, although it was a hassle and a lot of googling). We spent a lot of time browsing E-mart and all they had to offer. We decided if we were going to go drinking, we needed something more than pancakes, so we stopped at a little street vendor and had some soup, kimchi, and rice cakes covered in chili paste. Emily then wanted to venture in the posh department store and look around, so we did. We ended up spending 2 hours in the store looking at all the stuff and never made it to Itaewon! Our saturday night was spent in the department store. We spent a good 45 minutes in the food section alone, finding so many random and weird things, but also things that we missed from home, even though they were sooo expensive. We walked through the bed department and dreamed about laying down for a nap. We looked up and noticed that we were literally the only people left in the store, but Koreans don't really come up to you and tell you to leave. When we left, they shut the door and turned out the lights. It was so embarrassing.

ehhh Squidward? ehhh Squidward?

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Heaven in Seoul. Never thought I'd see the day were I could buy Haribo gummy bears, cola bottles, Heinz ketchup (in a glass bottle, even), and Arizona green tea! It was magical. The only thing missing is Swedish Fish........

Happy Chuseok! I get Monday and Tuesday off because of the holiday. It is a time where Koreans go to their home towns to spend time eating traditional food with their family and paying respects to their dead ancestors. The city is practically empty! I got some gifts though..

One of my student's parent's bought me and the Korean teacher a huge tin of little Vitamin C packets, which I hear are pretty expensive and a good gift..

My school also gave all of us a box with 2 wine bottles in it, Isla Negra High Tide Cabernet and Carmenere. and also a bottle opener. 

Here is an ad for my school in the subway! These ads are everywhere. 

 On a side note, I'll probably be posting new stuff every Sunday so you don't have to keep randomly checking! Happy Chuseok!