10.04.2006 - My birthday, USP

Well, I didn't even remember this until I went and looked at the date on these photos but all of them were taken on the 4th of October, my birthday. That day was the first day that we went to the University of Shiga Prefecture, a new school that had only been around for 14 years or so. The ultra-modern artistic architecture makes it really distinctive, but I can't help thinking that it's such a pointy campus (not to mention confusing) when I go there.

I'll make this simple with a simple gallery of photos to browse through. We went on a tour, you see, and I was eager to try out my new camera...





We went in a big group with my professor, whom I didn't take a picture of... But here's a couple pictures of the people in my class.



And, well, that's about it! Sorry not a lot to say, but on the topic of my birthday...
Don and Angie bought me a cake and sang happy birthday. There weren't any candles, but that was okay. I had a good time. :)

10.02.2006 - The new camera!

October second, I got my brand new camera. But first I had a pic from the store.


Well, for a couple days in a row I had been trying to get the new camera, encountering trouble with using my credit card. I made a skype call back to america to tell them that I was in Japan and wished to use my card there, then returned to the camera shop on the second day. After some talking with the employee there and a short call from him to the credit card company, the camera was purchased, and here's my first photo!


Well, that's the inside of the camera shop. Later I found out that it's bad manners to take pictures in stores, but so long as I don't see a sign or somebody doesn't ask me to stop I guess I'll keep snapping.

On the way home I was surprised to come across these flowers that I hadn't seen the day before. They just popped up that day, so I took a picture.


And there was a cemetery right there.


And once I got back home I had don take a picture of me.


And I took a picture of don.


And another of some stuff on the table.


Next I planned where I might go to get some usage out of my new camera.