If you have no prior affiliation or interest in a particular martial art, choose a school based on the master and the school's culture, rather than the type of martial art.

A good master will make any martial art learning experience great. A poor one will ruin any school.

Go watch a class - are the students training diligently, treating each other respectfully, and being taught firmly but carefully by their instructor?

The master sets the tone, culture, and norms of the school. In a sense the master is the school.

I've been training Hapkido in Melbourne, AU (www.hkd.com.au) for the past 12 years, which ticks all the above boxes.

Congrats on everyone so far avoiding the 'martial' as 'marital' typo :)