The First Batch Of PICTURES: Scenery of Tottori within Walking Distance

Finally! The pictures have arrived! I kept postponing this to “tomorrow”, and then decided that today is tomorrow. :P


So this post as well as the next few posts will focus on pictures. Today I'll show where I live! If you want to see specific pictures in a following blog post, just ask me!


Let's start with the most important picture:

A lot of people didn't believe this was really my university' mascot. I'm hoping this proves it.
In Belgium, all school/university logos are like this:

No wonder no one believed me.

Many were also curious why I chose Tottori University. It's a small university, not well known in Europe. There were two main reasons: 1. I could freely take on courses 2. The environment had beautiful, rich nature. The mascot might have also played a role in deciding, but let's go with these two.
Taking on courses: check. I enrolled in a few courses.The Japanese level is still too high for me. I think one of the lectures is about plants. Let's hope I figure out the rest too.
Rich nature: mountains! I love mountains! That's the first thing I noticed upon arrival - mountains everywhere! Covered in green, thick forest, seemingly floating above the clouds...

So let's show off some mountains! Click on a picture to enlarge it.

Pretty much mountains all around. Except for the beach part. The mountains slowly fade into hills, and then there's suddenly the Japanese sea!

 

 

Next, a few random trees and shrine scenery. I love nature. The first time visiting a shrine, I didn't bring my camera. However, yesterday I went to the forest! With my camera! That's material for a different post.

Took this one whilst riding my bike. :P

 

To end with, here I am with my classmates ^_^

 
So in today's post I only covered scenery within walking distance from my house. A few were shot by Marcos (link leads his Portugese blog).
Note: all pictures are unedited.

Turning a Cookie Habit into a Walking Habit

                               romanticized version of walking                     

Yes, I like to walk. But I'm also a busy, responsible person. I can't walk around aimlessly!

I have to be productive. I have to be a good student and work work work. Walking doesn't fit into that.

I forbid myself to walk. And that's when my brain starts to trick me.

I should go to the store.

I really need a coke right now. And cookies.

C'mon, I can't concentrate when feeling this craving.

Hey, and there's caffeine and sugar in it, that'd help me study.

Going to the store right now is necessary for being productive.

So yeah, my brain finds a reason to go outside. Some purpose.

No, I'm not someone who goes on silly, useless walks. I go out to buy something. I'm super efficient, just going to the nearby store for some essential supplements to my studies!

The brain has succesfully tricked me.

To be even more productive and efficient, I ride the bicycle to the store.

SUPEREFFICIENCY

...

And in the end, I haven't had a walk at all.

In Need Of Change

This got so bad, that I hadn't gone out for a walk in months, yet I went to the story on a daily basis, to buy things I didn't need.

I could foresee my future as a hyperefficient person...

Something had to be done.

It was time for an intervention.

I told myself:

You will go outside every night, whether you like it or not!

It worked. My whole attitude towards walking changed.
This was one of my duties, just like studying.
So during the day I'd eagerly wait till the evening, when I could go out and have my walk. I didn't have to go to the store anymore. I knew that I'd have my walk. No choice. Even if I didn't want to, I would still go outside and wander aimlessly.
Such a relaxing idea! I turned walking from a treat into an obligation, but I am enjoying it more than ever. :)