This is my first ever post on any sort of blogging website. For those of you who don't know me well, I am not the type that enjoys posting personal information on the internet (Sorry I will not be joining facebook...ever). This isn't really for socialization, or to give my ideas about schooling, travel, etc. (though that will inevitably happen), it's more so to let friends, family, and acquaintances know that I doing well in Japan.  Considering this, please know that there will be scant posts containing a lot of grammar, spelling, and typing mistakes.

To let you know what sort of content will be posted here, here are the priorities for most of my life:
1.) Food
2.) Kitties
3.) Science
Sleep is somewhere in there too, but I am not sure where it would be on the ranking scale. Now that I posted that, please know that the vast majority of anything I post as far as photos will probably be related to one of those three things. In fact, the third thing, science, is the main reason why I am going to Fukuoka, Japan. Kyushu University offers a vast variety of english-taught degree programs to International students trying to continue thier education while simulataneously become integrated into a new and fascinating culture. If anyone is interested in doing this (and willing to work arduously both academically and physically), I highly recommend applying to one of these programs:

http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/g30/

I applied to the System Life Sciences program, and was one of two international students accepted ( it could have been only two applied, but I still feel lucky). So far, I have recieved some generous scholarships and helpful advisors from my program, and I really look forward to studying Bio-Engineering at Kyushu University. The Japanese have a different work ethic and team approach to their research, so I am extremely curious as to how I will fit into my new research laboratory. Plus, the cutting-edge technology on my school campus (Ito campus) is just amazing (especially in comparison to good old Berea College)! I can only imagine was sort of technology and machines are available to the science departments there.

I think the first few months will be when I post the most, as that's when the novelty of everything really sets in. While I am not really looking forward to culture-shock, I'm sure eventually I'll be so comfortable with everything there, that it will just not be exciting enough for me to write about it.

Thanks for reading~ JT