Picture Post!

Just some pictures of the highlights in Osaka:

 Went to Osaka Castle.  Didn't go inside.  We decided to conserve our money and just enjoy its beauty from the outside.

 Sat down to enjoy the cheesy Italian bread that I'd bought at the station.  Some guy sitting on the bench next to ours had a little flock of sparrows perching on him and around him.  Curious, they came over to see if i'd offer them some num-nums.  They were cute, so i obliged, and they flew right up on my hand to enjoy it!

 Not sure of the significance of these.  They're randomly on the wall along the little street of vendors not far from us.  From what i can tell, couples will write their names on the locks, sometimes with the date or a little message, and leave it locked here.

 The Red String of Fate!

 This was right next to those hearts with all of the locks.. One person grabs one end of a rope on one side, and then the other person grabs an end on the other side.. If you grab the same rope, it means you're meant to be together forever!  So S and i are bound forever by the Red String of Fate!  Even though she's left for Tokyo for work..  ;_;

 S and T-chan rocking at Guitar Freaks!

 S and some of our new friends at the guesthouse, discussing K-pop before going out on the town.

 Out and about in Shinsaibashi!

 Volunteered as a research assistant for someone conducting research at Kansai Gaidai.  Pretty nerve-wracking because she needed more participants and asked me to go out and recruit people who know English.  Well, even if i am to find people who know English, i wasn't just going to walk up to all these people and announce in English- "Hey! I'm looking for people who know some English to participate in a study, do any of you know English?"  Obviously it'd at least get me people who could speak English, but it would just make me look like a crazy in the process.  So i spoke to everyone in Japanese.  Trying to explain the research process and everything kinda sucked, but i think i did alright and some people seemed interested, so hopefully more people will sign up soon!  I also helped conduct the actual research sessions, which was a lot easier since i had to speak English for that.  Will be going back again tomorrow, and possibly again.  It is paid, and since i'm really not doing much now i figure why not?

The campus reminded me sooooo much of UW, with the fountain and that brick building and the greenery.  Oh i miss UW and Seattle so much!