2012年9月16日 15:09
Hajimemashite.
Minna-san konnichiwa.
My name is Ioana (or Anna, as they call me here), I'm from Romania and just yesterday I have begun my internship at Tonda-ya.
At a first glance, everything at Tonda-ya seems completely new and extraordinary. Of course, I had watched a lot of Japanese movies, read a lot of Japanese books, been to a few Japanese teahouses and restaurants back home. But nothing could really prepare me for being less amazed when I actually arrived here. The graceful and eternally smiling ladies that welcomed me and made me feel the proverbial Japanese hospitality and elegance of manner, kindly forgiving me for all the mistakes and faux pas that I was inevitably making. Walking through the rooms and the gardens, looking at the fountains, the kimonos, hanging scrolls and fans made me feel that I was so very fortunate, to be able to enjoy the sight of these beautiful things every day for a full five months - that is a lot more than I had ever dared wish for. And even more amazing, I found out I would have the pleasure of wearing a kimono every day.
As for what lies beyond the walls of Tonda-ya, I couldn't be more excited. With such vast history and culture behind it, Kyoto is surely the perfect city with which to begin an exploration of Japan. Perhaps I will not have time to visit each and every one of its 1800 temples and shrines, but I will surely try. And just the thought that I will have the chance to spend autumn and the falling of leaves here, in Kyoto, makes me feel very happy.
I am sure that my appreciation for Japan will become even greater during this time, when I will be able to fully immerse myself in its culture, both traditional, as well as modern. With every passing minute, I am discovering something new, and I will make sure that I use all of my time to learn more and improve. I am extremely grateful to Tonda-ya and AIESEC, for offering me what is surely going to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.