Wow. I'm still processing my placement info and getting overwhelmed! Well, um, not overwhelmed by the size of my town (which is quite underwhelming at ~8000 peeps), but by the area in general.

Here's the town website. I can't read a word of it, but the splash page has some neat pics! I guess I'll have to become a beach bum and swim with the dolphins. <--that's a hilarious comment if you know me...the irony...

So the area I will be living on is known as the Shimabara Hanto peninsula. There are plenty of hot springs, a volcano (last eruption: 1991), and lots of Christian architecture. Yes, Christians settled this area long ago...Nagasaki is one of the most diverse areas of Japan. The Dutch influence is huge (which might be a factor in how I got placed here, because I mentioned in the interview that my mother is a Dutch immigrant).

*breathes* Must get back to research!