Working Holiday

Yesterday and today were supposed to be our first term break days in the office. Good old Sakuma-sensei rescued us however. She picked us up in the morning yesterday and drove us out to Sanmi school, a lovely little place on the coast.

We locked ourselves into the air-conditioned former kocho-senseis office (it's now combined with the shogakko so its empty) and did lots of fun stuff: shodo (calligraphy), ayatori (cat's cradle) and origami. Then she brings out bentos at 11.30am before driving us home.

Today she picked us up and we worked all morning on her shogakko Open Lessons coming up in September & October (fun ideas for teaching 'what's this' - I suggested a smelling competition!) and then after lunch we got out the kimonos. She taught me the correct way to fold a kimono and then we did obi (flat, wide belt that ties at the waist) bows. She taught me 'kai no kuchi' or 'shell's mouth' design. I have just bought some yukata to take home for dress ups with my sister/cousins/nieces so now I will be able to tie the obi properly. It was so much fun and I did heaps of things I had always wanted to do.

Next week she's taking me out for lunch after work and then she's taking me to a kimono shop so I can gawk at the prices and ask stupid questions. Love it!