Firstly thank you everyone for all your kind words about my art work/blog, I really appreciate it. I had over 500 views on my first post in one week!

A few weeks have past since my last post! Teaching has been going great, I feel like I am really getting into the swing of it all now. Every Thursday morning I have a conversation class with two Japanese students, I always feel that we have so much to talk about that an hour just isn't enough, which is always a good sign. One student had been to Tokyo last weekend to visit her daughter, so today she very kindly bought me a Monet book cover from an art gallery she visited on her break. It is a lovely and I will certainly treasure it.

Every day I bike back from work and think, I cannot believe I am in Japan. Not many people these days can say they love their job, but up to now I love it. There is no stress and every new day seems to bring a new surprise or adventure.

Last weekend I gave my first art lesson to Sumie-san, in return for a Japanese lesson.  Sumie-san wants me to teach her how to draw people, so we are focussing on her granddaughter (Hannah-san) in our first few lessons. The image we are using is from Hannah-san's Shichi-Go-San. Shichi-Go-Sen is when girls of age three and seven and boys of age three and five celebrate Shichi-Go-San, and it is prayed for their good heath and growth. Girls dress up in beautifully detailed and elaborate kimonos, with pristine make-up and delicate hair pieces to visit the shrine. My first drawing is from that day, it is the same image that I am teaching Sumie-san to draw.

My sketch of Hannah

Original photo of Hannah

In return for my art lesson, Sumie-san gave me a Japanese lesson. But this was a Japanese lesson with a twist. She taught me Japanese through the means of origami. So I learnt numbers, colours and a few words through making an origami spinning top! I also made a chart with the 51 Japanese sounds to learn. Saturday nights are now our cultural exchange nights. The image below is of the origami spinning top I made.

My origami spinning top I made in my Japanese class. 

On Sunday I was kindly treated to a day in Hakone (箱根)  which is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It is famous for its hot springs, natural beauty and the views of nearby Mt Fuji. Although it was a rather misty day it was such a beautiful and peaceful area. I went to the Onsen (volcanic hot springs) and oh my goodness it was hot!!! I came out the bath and I looked like I had been slightly boiled. It was very relaxing though and the views were spectacular.

Onsen (hot volcanic spring) in Hakone. 

One thing I will remember though is to take off my jewellery!!!  It did indeed turn my silver locket James (my boyfriend) gave me black. But it is no surprise that a lovely Japanese lady restored my necklace back to its original state for free.

I sense that the kindness of the Japanese people, particularly in Numazu is going to be a running theme throughout this blog.  Today Michael (another teacher) and I went to observe a bamboo carving class in the local arts hall. Sensai (teacher) lives in the mountains and provide a fortnightly bamboo carving class, free of charge.  This week everyone was working towards making a small wooden cart. The detail and precision was incredible, and so delicate. 

Throughout the session, sensai was making a bamboo sculpture  Over two hours he transformed several pieces of bamboo he had carved over the weeks into a bamboo monk playing a recorder. He gave this sculpture along with the cart as a gift to me. I generally cannot get over how talented and kind this man is. Even though we could barley communicate due to my lack of Japanese and his lack of English, I felt so welcomed.

Sensai and the bamboo carving of a monk he gave me. Take a look at how detailed the hands are.

My first month in Japan is coming to an end. Time is going quickly, almost too quickly! This weekend we will celebrate are arrival in Japan and passing our first month with Karaoke, so ear plugs at the ready!

Good night!

Marion