Author and blogger Lucas Kelleher will share the lessons he learned about life and cultural awareness while immersed in a foreign land when he makes a tour through Fort Dodge to promote his book “Shakotan Blues,” a nonfiction travel guide and memoir.

From Wednesday through Dec. 20, Kelleher will be take part in book signings at several retail locations, as well as a lecture planned for 5 p.m. Thursday at the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. He will share both humorous and touching anecdotes, as well as observations he made during the two years he spent teaching in rural Japan.

“Living in Japan had been a goal of mine for a very long time,” he said, “and teaching English seemed like the most accessible way to do it.”

Initially hired for a position in Sapporo, the fourth largest city in Japan, Kelleher was contacted the day before leaving the states to be offered a rural location instead.

The town, Shakotan, was a tiny fishing village somewhat isolated by being located on a peninsula that pushed into the sea. The village had never had a foreign resident before and presented a unique opportunity, Kelleher said.

“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to live somewhere no other American had been, so I took the new assignment,” he said.

Kelleher later discovered the company he worked for had asked several of the teachers assigned to Sapporo if they would be interested in relocating, but none of them would consider leaving the big city.

However, being open to the move truly paid off for him, Kelleher said.

“I feel like I learned so much during my time in Japan,” he said. “I learned tons about Japan itself, learned so much about teaching, overcame intense homesickness, and I learned to get by in relative solitude.”

Personal connections made also helped him to develop a greater global perspective, one he shares through memorable moments and stories that he recounts in his book of attempting to assimilate into the local culture.

“There are many examples of people in Japan taking care of me,” Kelleher said. “They looked out for me when I first arrived in Shakotan, invited me to dinners at their houses, asked me to special events and even took me on trips to the hot spring bath houses.”

He also picked up a few things on what it means to be a citizen of the world.

“The most important thing is to explore,” Kelleher said, “try to experience other cultures without closing yourself off. Try not to make judgments on a culture that doesn’t share your exact values.

“Oh, and don’t be paranoid. Assume that people you meet generally have positive intent towards you, accept the help and suggestions of strangers. If you go around being suspicious of everyone around you, you’re going to have a bad time, both in travel and in life.”

Kelleher grew up in Fort Dodge, graduating from Fort Dodge Senior High in 2002 then going on to study at Iowa Central Community College before moving to Seattle, Washington, in 2004.

Since returning to the states, he has been working at Amazon.com, as well as teaching group fitness classes. He also writes and edits posts for KelleherBros.com, a website made in collaboration with his four brothers where they debut original music and post reviews of video games.