I arrived in Tsuyama on Friday, June 20, 2008 at around 10 PM. Everyone I have met since then has been very nice and welcoming. I do not think I could have asked for a more suitable place to live and work.

The last time I was in Japan was when I was studying at Nanzan University in Nagoya. It has been three years since I have been here and I am very happy to be back. The things I missed the most were the people and the food. My favorite thing to do is go to Yakiniku with friends.

I have a few hobbies that I have been lucky enough to continue here in Japan. Right off the bat, I was lucky enough to find a band to join. We play cover songs, which include The Beatles, Carole King, Madonna, and many others. It is a great feeling to connect with someone from another culture through music. However, playing the drums in a foreign country can be rather difficult. A drum set is usually pretty expensive and hard to move around. Fortunately, there is already a drum set for me to use. I hope to see you at one of our shows!

Through the help of my co-workers, I hooked up with the Bboys in Tsuyama. A “Bboy” is a person who can Breakdance. They were very nice to include me in their practices, which are usually held at the Sports Ground area until 10 or 11 o’clock at night. The worst part about the location is the mosquitoes that like to hang around and bite us! I enjoy dancing with them because they are all friendly and very talented. I expect I will learn a lot from them.

My first Tsuyama culture experience was when I attended the Gongo Festival. I had never heard of it before, but it sounded like fun. The food was great and the performances were fun to watch. The fireworks at night were very beautiful. I was lucky enough to be about 30 feet from the stage, which meant I was pretty close to the fireworks. Thankfully, the smoke was blowing in the opposite direction!

All in all, my first impression of Tsuyama has been a good one. I look forward to many more enjoyable experiences. Please feel free to say hello if you see me. I hope to see you all in the near future. Take care and keep speaking!