Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Coffee Day】

Did you know that October the first was Coffee Day? I didn't know it and I love coffee. I'm ashamed of myself....
I'm definitely a daily coffee drinker, how about you?
Apparently, coffee first made its way to Nagasaki around 1640 as it was among the most prominent ports of the time. It's said that it was brought by a Dutch merchant who was stationed in Dejima, the only place in Japan that allowed international exchange as Japan had closed itself off from the rest of the world during the period of Sakoku.
However, at that time, only a limited number of people had the opportunity to drink coffee, including officials, merchants, interpreters and geisha as these were the only people who came into contact with the people on Dejima.
Fortunately, now, coffee isn't limited to such a small area or number of people! In recent years, quite a few research presentations have been given on the health benefits of coffee and a lot of this information has been picked up and shared by the media and SNS. You can find a lot of the information about it on the internet yourself, if you are interested in knowing how good your morning brew is for you.
I don't know about you, but after all this talk of coffee this morning, I'm starting to crave a cup and if you are too, you're in luck as Fukuoka city has a number of great coffee shops and cafes scattered throughout the city. There are even shops with baristas who have won world champion brewing competitions! Definitely check them out if you have a chance!We brew a lot at home, there's a whole drawer dedicated to coffee in my kitchen, but I do love getting out to good coffee shops as well!

【COVID-19 Vaccination information】

Now, I have some important information from Fukuoka City to share with you. I hope you have all received your vaccination notices from the city. In Fukuoka City, anyone over the age of 12 who is registered as living in the city should have received a COVID-19 vaccination notice in the mail. When you receive it, make sure that you have received both the vaccination tickets and the preliminary health check documents. If you have not yet received your notice, I will give you the phone number you should call a little later. Also, if the address you are at now is different from the address you registered with the city, make sure you go to your ward office to change that.

Once you have received your notice and made a reservation, you will be able to receive your vaccinations. You will receive 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart. You can receive vaccinations at clinics in the area, at the mass vaccination centers in each ward or at the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center. If you choose to go to the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center, there is a free shuttle bus from Tenjin. There are also late night vaccinations available from 10pm to 8 am at the Fukuoka City Hospital.

If you are planning to get vaccinated, make sure you make your reservation in advance.
Please make sure you reserve a day and time before getting your vaccination.
If you can, make reservations for both your first and second vaccination doses on the special reservation website. If making a reservation online is too difficult, reservations can also be made by phone. In order to make a reservation, you must have the number that is printed on your inoculation ticket.

On the day of your vaccination, make sure you have 1 vaccination ticket and your preliminary exam sheet with you, as well as some kind of ID. The vaccination ticket is a sticker, so bring it as it is, on the sheet that it is attached to. DO NOT remove it from the sheet. You will use one preliminary exam sheet and one vaccination sticker at each appointment. So make sure you read the instruction manual before your appointment and fill in all necessary information in advance.
You will be given the vaccine in an area around your shoulder, so make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to expose your shoulder area easily. Make sure you come wearing a mask.
The prepared number of vaccines must be used on the day, so unless you are feeling ill, please do not suddenly cancel your appointment.
After you receive your vaccination, a sticker will be placed on your vaccination sheet. This shows that you have been vaccinated and is an important document, so make sure you do not lose it.

For information on places that are doing inoculations and for the most up to date information from Fukuoka City, check the Fukuoka City homepage.
For more information about the vaccination program or to arrange for your envelope to be sent again, please call 092-260-8405. Again, that number is 092-260-8405. Calls will be taken between 8:30 am and 5:30pm every day. 7 languages are available at that number, including English, Chinese and Korean.

It will not cost anything to you to get vaccinated. You will not receive a bill for the vaccination. In addition, you will not get phone calls or emails asking for personal information. Please be careful, there have been suspicious phone calls and emails recently.

【Mushrooms】

So without further ado, let's get to our first topic today, mushrooms!

So many foods come into season in the autumn, but the ones that should come straight to mind are mushrooms. Although they might not seem all that luxurious compared to meat or fish, in fact, they are a pretty amazing food.

Shiitake, shimeji, maitake, eringi, enoki...there are so many varieties of mushrooms that the list goes on. And among them is Matsutake, the king of autumn flavor, or so they say. It's a flavorful, fragrant mushroom and is often sold at premium prices as a luxury ingredient.

Although many in Japan love the matsutake, it does have a rather unique aroma that might be off-putting to some.

Across the board, mushrooms are typically low in calories but high in fiber and vitamin D.  If you're on a diet or if you need a little help with keeping your digestive system moving, then you'll definitely want to add mushrooms to the menu.

And although mushrooms often get lumped with vegetables, they're actually fungi with over 10,000 species in nature. I am a huge mushroom fan, possibly Hobbit level for those of you who know. I'm not sure I have a favorite though, each kind is unique and delicious and has its place in recipes. Take portobello, they're huge and chunky and great as burgers or topped with cheese. Enoki wrapped in pork belly and grilled, button mushrooms raw on salad, eringi battered and fried, shiitake in a nice hot pot. I love them all!

【Tuberculosis Prevention Week】

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City to share.

The week of September 24^th to the 30^th is Tuberculosis Prevention Week.Tuberculosis is a disease that causes inflammation of the lungs mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is an infectious disease that is transmitted person to person.

In 2020, 149 people in Fukuoka City were diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing, phlegm, fever, bloody phlegm, chest pain, lethargy, night sweats and/or weight loss. In the beginning, it does resemble the common cold.

If you've noticed that you've had a cough for over two weeks, have had a lot of phlegm, you've felt lethargic or you've suddenly lost weight, please see a medical professional for an exam as soon as possible. The earlier it is detected, the earlier it can be treated preventing it from becoming a serious illness.  It is important to prevent spreading illness to family, friends and those at the workplace who are important to us.

Even if you are infected, tuberculosis does not always develop, however if your body cannot fight the tubercle bacillus, over time, an infection may develop.

If you are diagnosed with tuberculosis, you can fight it off by taking the proper medicine every day according to your doctor's orders.

And, to prevent the spread or start of infections, make sure you get plenty of sleep, eat a good, balanced diet and get enough exercise. Making an effort every day to live healthily is the most effective prevention.

In Fukuoka City, there is the Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center service available if you do need to find a hospital or need some advice. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The phone number for that service is 092-733-5429. Again, that number is 092-733-5429. Interpretation is available in 20 different languages.

【COVID-19 Vaccination information】

Now, I have some important information from Fukuoka City to share with you. I hope you have all received your vaccination notices from the city. In Fukuoka City, anyone over the age of 12 who is registered as living in the city should have received a COVID-19 vaccination notice in the mail. When you receive it, make sure that you have received both the vaccination tickets and the preliminary health check documents. If you have not yet received your notice, I will give you the phone number you should call a little later. Also, if the address you are at now is different from the address you registered with the city, make sure you go to your ward office to change that.

Once you have received your notice and made a reservation, you will be able to receive your vaccinations. You will receive 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart. You can receive vaccinations at clinics in the area, at the mass vaccination centers in each ward or at the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center. If you choose to go to the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center, there is a free shuttle bus from Tenjin. There are also late night vaccinations available from 10pm to 8 am at the Fukuoka City Hospital.

If you are planning to get vaccinated, make sure you make your reservation in advance.

Please make sure you reserve a day and time before getting your vaccination.

If you can, make reservations for both your first and second vaccination doses on the special reservation website. If making a reservation online is too difficult, reservations can also be made by phone. In order to make a reservation, you must have the number that is printed on your inoculation ticket.

On the day of your vaccination, make sure you have 1 vaccination ticket and your preliminary exam sheet with you, as well as some kind of ID. The vaccination ticket is a sticker, so bring it as it is, on the sheet that it is attached to. DO NOT remove it from the sheet. You will use one preliminary exam sheet and one vaccination sticker at each appointment. Make sure you read the instruction manual before your appointment and fill in all necessary information in advance.

You will be given the vaccine in an area around your shoulder, so make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to expose your shoulder area easily. Make sure you come wearing a mask.

The prepared number of vaccines must be used on the day, so unless you are feeling ill, please do not suddenly cancel your appointment.

For information on places that are doing inoculations and for the most up to date information from Fukuoka City, check the Fukuoka City homepage.

For more information about the vaccination program or to arrange for your envelope to be sent again, please call 092-260-8405. Again, that number is 092-260-8405. Calls will be taken between 8:30 am and 5:30pm every day. 7 languages are available at that number, including English, Chinese and Korean.

It will not cost anything to you to get vaccinated. You will not receive a bill for the vaccination. In addition, you will not get phone calls or emails asking for personal information. Please be careful, there have been suspicious phone calls and emails recently.

【Information on Covid-19 Vaccinations】

This morning we've got a lot of information for you from Fukuoka City. It is about the Covid 19 vaccinations. From the 30^th of June, information about the vaccination program was sent by post to Fukuoka City residents 64 years and younger. In addition to the two inoculation tickets and preliminary exam tickets in the envelope that was sent out, you should have also found a booklet giving instructions in regards to the vaccine and information on the vaccine. There is also a leaflet informing you of when you can reserve your vaccination. If you are a resident of Fukuoka City but have not received that envelope, at the end of this announcement, I will give you the phone number to call so that you can have it sent to you again.

Vaccinations will be administered to anyone, including foreign residents, who are over the age of 12.

You will receive two doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart.

Vaccinations will be administered either at a clinic in your area or at mass vaccination center.

You are able to also get vaccinations at locations outside of your ward of residence.

And, those who are 18 years or older can also get vaccinated at the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center. There is a free shuttle bus that runs between Tenjin and the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center. If regular center hours are difficult, late night vaccinations are also available at the Fukuoka City Hospital between 10pm and 8am. 

Please make sure you reserve a day and time before getting your vaccination.

If you can, make reservations for both your first and second vaccination doses on the special reservation website. If making a reservation online is too difficult, reservations can also be made by phone. In order to make a reservation, you must have the number that is printed on your inoculation ticket.

On the day of your vaccination, make sure you have 1 vaccination ticket and your preliminary exam ticket with you, as well as some kind of ID. The vaccination ticket is a sticker, so bring it as it is, on the sheet that it is attached to. DO NOT remove it from the sheet. You will use one preliminary exam sheet and one vaccination sticker at each appointment. Make sure you read the instruction manual before your appointment and fill in all necessary information in advance.

You will be given the vaccine in an area around your shoulder, so make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to expose your shoulder area easily. Make sure you come wearing a mask.

The prepared number of vaccines must be used on the day, so unless you are feeling ill, please do not suddenly cancel your appointment.

For information on places that are doing inoculations and for the most up to date information from Fukuoka City, check the Fukuoka City homepage.

For more information about the vaccination program or to arrange for your envelope to be sent again, please call 092-260-8405. Again, that number is 092-260-8405. Calls will be taken between 8:30 am and 5:30pm every day. 7 languages are available at that number, including English, Chinese and Korean.

It will not cost anything to you to get vaccinated. You will not receive a bill for the vaccination. In addition, you will not get phone calls or emails asking for personal information. Please be careful, there have been suspicious phone calls and emails recently.

【Conserving Water】

We're already heading into August pretty quickly now and it turns out that August is the month in which the most water is used in the year. We're fortunate in that we have water every day without a problem, every time we turn on the tap, water comes out and we can use it without giving it a second thought.

However, for that water to get to us from the source takes the work and dedication of a countless number of people and in fact, there is a limit to the water we have, it's quite a precious natural resource, something that we should all be aware of. So, keeping that in mind, we should try not to use water needlessly and make an effort to conserve water when we can.

You may not have known this, but in Japan, the city that has the least amount of water per person available is actually Fukuoka. And this is why it's important that we keep in mind how important our water is. So, what can we do to save water in our daily lives? Well, it's pretty easy.

First, turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth and use a cup for rinsing. Second, when  you're cooking, instead of running water to rinse vegetable and dishes, have a full basin of water ready for those jobs. Finally, when you're taking a shower or bath, turn off the water when you aren't rinsing yourself and don't overfill the bath.

By doing these simple things, we can conserve more of that precious natural resource, water!

【Consultation With An Administrative Lawyer】

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City.

Is there anything you don't understand about residency status and term of stay regulations? If there is, free consultation is available for the foreign residents of Fukuoka at the Fukuoka City International Foundation. Consultations are held every second Sunday afternoon of the month. A gyousei-shoshi, or administrative lawyer, will answer your questions and offer consultation.   There are English and Chinese interpreters present, and so, consultation in English, Chinese and Japanese does not require a reservation. For other languages, please consult with us at least one week in advance.

Confidentiality is guaranteed in all consultations, so please feel at ease to make use of these services.

For more information or for reservations, please check the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage or call 092-262-1799. Again, you can call 092-262-1799.

And to prevent the spread of Covid-19, measures are being taken so please wear a mask and disinfect your hands when you come for a consultation.

【Mail Magazine】

Now, I want to share a little information about Fukuoka City International Foundation's monthly mail magazine. The magazine, published in English and Japanese, shares news and information about international exchange events and cooperation and is available to everyone! You can easily sign up for the magazine by visiting the Foundation's website. Just search for FCIF in your web browser.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

As always, we ask that you practice basic infection prevention measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and practice the 3 C's. And this means that you should avoid closed spaces, crowded places and close conversations.

【World Emoji Day】

Did you know that July 17^th is World Emoji Day? If you did, you've got one on me, I had no idea. It was established by Jeremy Burge in 2014. He is the founder of the Emojipedia website. Apparently this date was decided because the emoji pictograms of calendars on smart phones typically show July 17^th. I actually checked.

Emoji actually were born in Japan. NTT Docomo installed them in their i-mode mobile phone service. At that time, some people complained, saying that these pictographs weren't actually proper words or characters, they were just illustrations. However, they soon gained popularity, especially among young people and their usage spread.

It was finally in 2010 that emoji were added to the Universal Coded Character Set or Unicode and from there, the emoji that were originally only used on mobile phones spread to computers and smartphones and now the word Emoji is known and used all over the world.  Which emoji do you use the most? Looking at my phone, it looks like the laughing face with the tears is my most used.

【Watch out for Heatstroke】

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City. The first is about heatstroke, something that we all need to be careful of as we go through summer. Often when it is hot and we're doing hard exercise or work, our bodies can't regulate its temperature and our water and body salts balance go off and we end up with heatstroke. And some of the symptoms of heatstroke include dizziness, a headache, lightheadedness and a feeling of nausea. If you don't feel better after cooling down and taking in fluids and salt, please call 119 for an ambulance.

It's especially in July, as temperatures reach maximum highs, that the number of emergency heatstroke patients increases rapidly. So in this hot and humid season, take care, as your body has difficulty acclimating. And though many of us have been spending more time indoors to prevent the spread of Covid-19, do not let your guard down as heatstroke can occur indoors as easily as outdoors. In addition, wearing a mask in the summer increases the risk of heatstroke and so you must take caution.

So, here are some pointers to help prevent heatstroke. First, make sure you keep yourself hydrated. For everyday hydration, water or mugi cha tea is fine. If you are doing sports or hard work then you might want to have a sports drink. If you are sweating, make sure you are replacing the fluids and salt that your body is losing.

Also, wear a hat or carry a parasol when you are out to help block the sun. And try to use your fan or air conditioner as efficiently as possible so that the room temperature does not go above 28 degrees.

 There are lots of cooling pads and ice pillows out on the market these days, picking up one of those might help keep you cool. And finally, make sure you eat a balanced diet everyday and get plenty of sleep to keep yourself feeling good.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

As always, we ask that you practice basic infection prevention measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and practice the 3 C's. This means that you should avoid closed spaces, crowded places and close conversations.

【Cucumbers】

So, this week, our first topic is cucumbers. Ah, the humble cucumber, available at any time of the year for our dining pleasure. Did you know that it is actually more than 95% water? And, it's full of potassium which is supposed to have a diuretic effect and is good for helping hangovers as well as reduce swelling in the limbs. Basically, it's a great summer food, if you think about it! In Fukuoka Prefecture, cucumbers are pretty intensively cultivated and shipped out all year round. Actually, Hakata Port has been a trading port with the continent for a long time and so it seems that cultivation in Japan started quite early on.

When storing cucumbers at home, rinse them off and keep them in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer to keep them from drying out. Apparently, storing them at 10-15 degrees is optimum. If they get too cold, they go bitter and lose their vitamin C.

And here's a little Fukuoka trivia for you, if you didn't know. During the Hakata Gion Yamakasa, THE event in Fukuoka City, from the first of July to the 15^th of July, participants are not allowed to eat cucumbers. This is because when a cucumber is sliced into rounds, it looks like the mark of the god of Yamakasa. What's your favorite cucumber recipe? I quite like them just with a bit of salt and pepper but they're good with wakame and sumiso as well!

【Covid-19 Vaccination Information】

Now, I have some important information from Fukuoka City and this is about the Covid-19 vaccination notice you should be receiving by post soon. It'll come in an envelope from Fukuoka City, so make sure you open them and check what's inside. In addition to the two inoculation tickets and preliminary exam tickets, you'll also find a booklet giving instructions in regards to the vaccine and information on the vaccine. You'll also find a leaflet informing you of when you can go for your vaccination.

Vaccinations are available to anyone over the age of 16. You will receive two doses, 3 weeks apart. Vaccinations will be administered either at a clinic in your area or at mass vaccination center. The number of places to get vaccinated are likely to increase.

The day when you can begin to receive your vaccinations will vary depending on if you have an underlying illness or not, and your age. Please make sure you take a look at the notice that tells you when you can go for your vaccinations. It will be in that envelope you receive. And definitely, make a reservation before you go in, once the date comes on which you can begin to get vaccinations. If you can, try to make reservations for both your first and second vaccination doses on the special reservation website. If making a reservation online is too difficult, please call for consultation. And in order to make a reservation, you must have the number that is printed on your inoculation ticket.

On the day of your vaccination, make sure you have 1 vaccination ticket and your preliminary exam ticket with you, as well as some kind of ID. The vaccination ticket is a sticker, so bring it as it is, on the sheet that it is attached to. DO NOT remove it from the sheet. You will use one ticket each for your preliminary exam and vaccination. Make sure you read the instruction manual before your appointment and fill in all necessary information in advance.

You will be given the vaccine in an area around your shoulder, so make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to expose your shoulder area easily. Make sure you come wearing a mask.

The prepared number of vaccines must be used on the day, so unless you are feeling ill, please do not suddenly cancel your appointment.

For information on places that are doing inoculations and for the most up to date information from Fukuoka City, check the Fukuoka City homepage.

If there is anything that you don't understand or if you can't make a reservation on the website, please call for consultation. The phone number for that is 092-260-8405. Again, that number is 092-260-8405. Calls will be taken between 8:30 am and 5:30pm every day. 7 languages are available at that number, including English, Chinese and Korean.

It will not cost anything to you to get vaccinated. You will not receive a bill for the vaccination. In addition, you will not get phone calls or emails asking for personal information. Please be careful, there have been suspicious phone calls and emails recently.

【Hydrangea】

The flower of the rainy season is the hydrangea. I'm sure you've seen these beautiful flowers already around the city. They are of course beautiful on clear days but somehow under the rain they are even more gorgeous. Gaku hydrangea are a type that originated in Japan, were imported to the West where they underwent breeding techniques and were reimported back to Japan as Western Hydrangea. Recently, both Western Hydrangea and Gaku Hydrangea come in a wide variety of shapes and colors.

Growing hydrangea is actually fairly easy but there is a little trick in pruning to make sure the flowers bloom the next year. And once they're planted, it is a long-lived plant that you can enjoy for many years. The flowers also increase year by year so as time passes you'll have more and more bountiful blooms. Here in Fukuoka City, you can easily see hydrangea in places like Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, Hakozaki Shrine, Maizuru Park and the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden. I saw a bunch over by the castle ruins, quite a few people were out taking pictures of and with them. So get out there and enjoy this Hydrangea season!

【Introducing the Tutor Program】

Now I have some information from Fukuoka City about the Tutor Program. This will be useful for those of you who are struggling with letters from school and other places because you can't understand what is written in Japanese. The “Tutor Program” is a one on one service that will match you with a tutor that you can contact online. The tutors are registered with the Fukuoka City International Foundation. You'll be able to ask this tutor to give you simple translations of letters from school or other documents from places like the ward office. You can also ask them for advice on daily living.

If you are a foreign resident of Fukuoka City and think you will be able to communicate with a tutor online, then you are eligible for the program. The program will usually cost 500 yen per month but until November of this year, it is free! To learn more about the program, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or call the Foundation. The number to call is 092-262-1799. Again that number is 092-262-1799. Phone calls will be accepted from 8:45am to 6pm on weekdays. Definitely check it out!

【Personal counseling】

Next up is an announcement about free legal consultation and personal counseling for foreigners who live in Fukuoka. .

Legal consultations are available from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM on the first Saturday of every month, and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the third Wednesday of the month. Each session runs for 45 minutes and the service is completely free. Free English interpretation services are also available so if you will need an interpreter, please mention that when you make your reservation. Personal counseling services are available every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday with a Japanese clinical psychologist in English or Japanese. If you choose to use these services, please know that confidentiality is guaranteed.

For reservations or more information, please call 092-262-1799. Again that number is 092-262-1799. Calls will be accepted between 8:45 am and 6pm on weekdays.

【June Bride】

Well, we are just a day away from June and you know what that means? In Fukuoka, it typically  means rainy season, but I'll get to that in a minute. June is the season for weddings, it's said from long ago in Europe, if you are married in June, you'll be a happy bride. There are many reasons for that, but it seems the strongest reason behind the idea of the June Bride comes from ancient Greek myths. Zeus's wife Hera, who is also known as Juno in Roman myths, from which the name June comes, is the goddess of women, marriage, childbirth, family and so on and so getting married in June is fortuitous.

Getting married in June also makes sense if you look at it from an agricultural point of view. In Europe, March to May is a busy time for farmers so weddings were supposedly prohibited meaning everyone who wanted to get married would do so after that time, in June.

The idea of the June bride spread in Japan from about 50 years ago. It seems it started because the hotel industry had a lot more free time during the rainy season and in order to increase the number of weddings at the hotels in June, they ran campaigns to push the June bride idea.

In the US, the June bride idea is a popular one and probably came from Europe. And in the US, a popular tradition when getting married goes with this little rhyme which comes from England. “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” and the forgotten line “A sixpence in your shoe.” Supposedly by having all of these somethings, the marriage will be happy and blessed.

【Kind and Easy Japanese Radio Lessons】

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City about a new way to study Japanese. Beginning in June,“Kind and Easy Japanese Radio Lessons” are set to broadcast! This program will use “Easy Japanese” spoken slowly, for international residents who still don't really understand Japanese.

Foreign residents will able to get the information they need to know for life in Japan.

The program will be broadcast on the radio every Friday from 11:54am and the first broadcast is this Friday, June 4^th. Even if you don't understand all of it or if you miss the broadcast, don't worry! The script from the program will be available on Love FM's website. And you 'll be able to listen to the program's podcast as many times as you'd like. So, be sure to listen!

【HIV Testing Week】

Some more important information to share with you here. June 1^st to the 7^th is HIV testing week. Just last year, medical institutions in Fukuoka City reported  26 new HIV infections and 9 AIDS patients.

To prevent the spread of HIV, the early it is discovered, the faster it can be treated.  

Even if someone is infected with HIV, few symptoms appear, which is why testing is necessary to know if someone is actually infected.

Free, anonymous HIV screenings will be held at the health and welfare centers of each ward. Screenings are on a specified day, so please visit the homepage of your local health and welfare center before you go.

If an HIV diagnosis is made in the early stages, with proper health management and treatment, the onset of AIDS can be delayed. So if you think you may be at risk, please get checked as soon as possible.

【New Beginnings & DJ Introductions】

It's April now and I wonder if you know the wamei, or Japanese name for the month. Although we might think it's shi-gatsu, actually, it has another name and that's Uzuki with the kanji for rabbit in it. I guess rabbits kind of signal spring, at least if you think of Easter, which I talked about last week. Anyway, April is when school and company entrance ceremonies take place and it's also the time of the year when we think about new beginnings in our life. So, speaking of new starts in this season, let me begin with introducing myself again! My name is Colleen Mathieu and I have worked with LOVE FM for over 10 years now. My regular program is on Saturday mornings from 8am to 10 am and it's called Earth Feeling. It's a really chilled out morning program with pretty relaxing music to help you get the weekend started. Tune in when you have the chance! I've lived in Fukuoka for 16 years now, it's become my second hometown after Detroit, Michigan in the USA where I'm originally from. Some of my favorite things about Fukuoka is the Hakata dish, goma saba which is raw mackeral in a sesame sauce, taking walks around Ohori Park, and just how convenient the city is to get around, especially on a bicycle. Two things that surprised me when I came to Fukuoka was first, how cold the houses are in the winter. I'm from Michigan but maybe because we have central heating you never feel so cold inside! The second was how empty many of the beaches were in May and June, even on hot days. In Michigan, if the temperature was high enough, even if the water in the lakes was freezing cold, you'd see people at the beach! Maybe it's just Michiganders? What do my fellow English speakers do on those days?

Well, that's just a little bit about me and I want to say thank for listening over the last year and I hope you'll continue to tune in every week for this short program!

As we all enter this new season and possibly new environments, I'm sure there are some who haven't quite got the hang of things and might feel stressed or nervous, so make sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation on your days off. This month will be a full month, but make it fun and enriching. After all, even with all the work we might need to do, we've got Golden Week at the end of it to look forward to!

【Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents】

Next, I have some information from Fukuoka City. If there's anything that you are worried about or if you want some advice on, the Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents is here to support you. This support center can give information on, as well as introduce the appropriate contacts, for things related to general life here such as residency procedures, employment, medical care, welfare, childbirth, child-rearing and child education. The phone number for the center is 092-262-1799. Again, that number is 092-262-1799. The center is open from 8:45am to 6pm on weekdays but is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and for the New Year's holiday period. If you  call, help is available in 19 different languages. So as you start your new life here, if you have any worries or something you don't understand, don't hesitate to call.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

We've still got to be careful , so once again, we are asking everyone to continue practicing basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.