Belgium and Me
[On the occasion of "Shine Weeks" held from 8th to 19th September, Ms. Atsuko Bersma, one of the Japanese women active in Belgium, wrote an essay supporting "Shine Weeks".]
Belgium and me
Ms. Atsuko Bersma
Ikebana MasterSeptember 2014
Twenty-five years have passed like an arrow since we came to Brussels for posting in 1989.
Because of my husband's work, we have lived in various countries such as Canada, Holland, Thailand, Scotland, Peru and France. I realized that we have lived more than half of our 44 years of marriage in Belgium.
Since my childhood, I loved flowers and started taking Ikebana lessons at the age of 11. Just before my marriage in 1970, I obtained teacher's degree from Sogetsu School of Ikebana and taught Ikebana in whatever country we were posted.
There were various difficulties such as finding proper materials, but I was very happy to have met so many people who love flowers and Japan in all those countries.
Especially in Belgium there are many people from different countries because of EU and NATO headquarters: my students are of 14 different nationalities and everyone get along together in harmony.
My dream and hope are that everyone becomes friends through Ikebana and that long-lasting friendship evolve, regardless race, religion or languages. And I find it rewarding to be able to pass on the joy of Ikebana, which is one of the Japanese Culture, to as many people as possible. I would like to continue to be a stone in the culture bridge between Belgium and Japan.
