FIFTEEN DAYS OF FEELING FUKUOKA

So it has been a couple of weeks here (since i was quarantined for the first week!) and I have managed to forge some very sweet bonds with the people at my university. Some of the places I have been to in the past 15 days include Canal City, Kushida Shrine, one of the gazillion karaoke spots, a cafe where I tried beer for the first time, and a splendid place called Uminonakamichi seaside park.

1. Canal City: It is a mall but not an ordinary one. Its amazing architecture and fountain show in the evening make it one of the most loved public places in Fukuoka. 

                

2. Kushida Shrine: My favorite till now. This shrine is dedicated to the sun god of the Shinto religion and has many statues of animals such as lions, horses, and storks. This display of animal statues in front of the shrines is one of the many examples of the Indian architectural influence on Japan. I prayed here in the way a typical Japanese would do and it was really fun. One can also buy a 100 yen fortune slip that is available in Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, and English. Once a person reads their slip they can tie it to a tree on the premise and leave the rest to the god. The place was serene with a pond full of beautiful fishes.

3. Karaoke: The experience was wildly unprecedented to describe in a few words. Sake is very good is all I would say, and it sure did magic on me. People who otherwise look reserved in the public space end up singing as loud as possible in karaoke spots! haha. Drinks and food just add up to the already charged up souls who come here to chill and have fun.

4. Umi no Nakamichi: It is a huge park with flowers and animals. People of all ages come here and it is a treat to roam around spotting some of the most beautiful floral presents that nature has to offer us. The lush green grasses look dreamy with blue flowers while the skies are dotted with pink cherry blossoms. It is truly a treat for your eyes and my trip became even better as I was accompanied by my favorites, that is, my dormitory mates- Mei-chan, Sakura-chan, and Nozomi-chan. 

                      

  

I have had some of the tastiest and softest Japanese sweets (called mochi) in the past two weeks. I also had natto (fermented soya beans) and I am definitely mustering the courage to have some again due to its smell and acquired taste due to fermentation. 

                    

Some facts quickly:

-People in this country take bath at night before sleeping and not during the day! It was a cultural shock for me.

-Each resident of this city has to segregate garbage into 7 different types. Yes! 7 different types of garbage, every day. And people follow this (including me now) diligently. 

-The washrooms here have buttons, sensors, temperature displays, and whatnot! and I am talking about normal washrooms and not the luxurious ones!!

-You cannot talk while traveling on a bus. If you murmur it might be fine but people usually don't talk when on a bus. Many times the driver ends up scolding a talkative passenger! So, talk at your own risk haha! 

-Taxi drivers have amazing uniforms. The uniforms look clean, ironed, and proper.

-There are no dustbins on the roadside. 

As someone who feels super comfortable being indoors, it takes an hour of analysis paralysis and self-motivation to go out and explore! Not to forget, being a student it becomes challenging to balance the lectures and the inner voice that shouts "go out!!! and have fun".

What could be more fun than interacting with people, learning from them, and laughing with them. My professor, originally from Costa Rica, told me that he is learning Hindi. He showed me his Hindi language book and it left a huge smile on our faces. 

I made tea for my friends here and they loved it a lot. I was very nervous whether they would like it or not, but we had a nice time. People here are very friendly, accommodating, and helpful. I have hardly met anyone here who complains about anything. 

Broken Japanese, broken English, and Google translate are doing a good job.

So far, so good.