The Loot

In the current absence of suitable weaving conditions I am left with memories and objects, none of which can fill the emptiness left inside me upon leaving Kyoto, Japan. The truth is, I started missing Japan when I was still there, a feeling that is very strange, like a hangover before you even started to drink or the need for a drug that is still running through your veins.

I miss Japan.

My space is being reorganized, my house slowly cleaned, cleared and rearranged and so is my head. I´ll be weaving soon, I am sure. What I am not so sure of is when I´ll begin to weave Kasuri again. But I am armed, with a Goko Swift, a Kiwaku winder, kiwakus and drawings I made of several tools to get me started. In my spare time I´ll drink green tea and admire indigo dyed tenuguis, the one of the left is an Arimatsu Shibori by Takeda Kahei, the one on the right is Shindigo by Hiroyuki Shindo from Miyama. 

Everything else is just wonderful even if a little blurred.

Here and there

It has taken me sometime to get around to write this. Since I got back I have been very busy with settling back into life on the farm, work, and the things that make my life worth living. Getting used to being back here is not that difficult. Leaving Japan was on the other hand not as easy as I imagined. I miss everything about it. I miss weaving. I miss my new friends. I miss my Sensei. I miss the lady that prepared my dinners that wanted to adopt me and marry me to her son. EVERYTHING.

Everything I learned in Japan, about Japan, weaving and me was unimaginable. My final project was an incredible learning experience. The feedback from all my Sensei was invaluable throughout, but it was at the very end that I got to really know their thoughts on my work and their words were pure encouragement. My colleagues were equally supportive and we all learned so much from eachother. I really did feel the weaving princess was showering me with stars from the milkyway. Sensei Yamamoto and Sensei Emma were inspirational. And the mysterious and caring Hori Sensei, from the dyeing department, made a point to find me to know if I was happy with the unpredictable natural dyes, and to tell me that he thought my work was "totemo beautiful", those were his words. I was speechless. 

And after all that work, I left my creation, waiting to be shown next year in the School´s exhibition. 

I said goodbye to the moths.

I washed my feet in the Shimagamo Shrine and ate rice cakes.

I said goodbye to the rice fields.

To my friends, Mihou, Chihiro, Fumika, Chiharo, Akari, Atsuyo, Kazumi, I say "see you soon".

Let´s not forget that this amazing adventure would not have been possible without the Fundação Oriente and their Scholarship Program, to whom and for which I will be eternally gratefull.