

The day I moved to Windenburg was sunny and peaceful. The summer was at its peak, but it wasn’t hot, even a little bit windy. I, Takenoko Kobayashi, arrived to this place in search of… independence. Back in Japan the family was always watching my every step and judging, judging and judging. I got sick of their advances, hopes and plans, so decided to move as far away as I can and start leaving on my own.

Parents weren’t content with my decision, but their furiosity wasn’t as strong as granny’s, the true daughter of old traditional system where women should always obey their husbands and spend most of their time at home taking care of children. She had great plans on me, even chose where should I live, with whom, how… Parents were pretty much satisfied with granny’s choice, and I can’t blame them – this is how they used to live, always listen to elders’ will and do as they say.

I, on the contrary, can’t deal with this way of things anymore. Many years I tried to be perfect, to study good, to be obedient and shy, to listen Mother and Father, to threat relatives with respect, to be prepared to my future housewife’s life… but I just can’t. I want to build my own future. I don’t want to follow somebody’s plan. This is my life, and I want to live it the way I want.



And so, here I am, poor but full of high hopes. I will become a great writer and amaze The World with my masterpiece writing, but now… I’m just an immigrant with no money, huge chank of empty land, which my uncle, mother’s brother, graciously gave me for free (but forgot to left here at least a small shed), and a little backpack. Gladly I have a notebook and a pen. And rather poor knowledge of the local language. Oh well, let’s hope that high school program will be enough for comfortable living… well, for the beginning.

By the way, my invisible readers, you wonder what is the meaning of my name and surname? Even if you don’t, I’ll still tell you because I have nothing to do, just standing in the middle of empty field and admiring the view with awe and the question «What should I do now?». Takenoko means «bamboo shoots» and Kobayashi – «small forest». So, literally I’m a bamboo forest. Great, right? Granny was always calling me Kaguya-hime*, or Princess Kaguya, and threated me as such, but, as in the tale, I wasn’t happy. Firstly, of course, it was charming and funny, but then I grew up and realized that I was trapped in the golden cage. Such as my mother, and grandmother, and great grandmother, and all these women who obediently accepted their future of a model housewives. Sure, maybe, this kind of lifestyle is absolutely acceptable for some people, but not for me. When I realized it during the last year of middle school, I decided to grow up the person I will be proud of, not the one that will be thoughtlessly follows other’s words and orders.



And here I am, alone, lonely and poor. Will I surrender? Will I return to parent’s house and accept the fate they chose to me? No. I must succeed. Despite the sheer lunacy of my decision, powerful Uncle helped me and found me a job as writer’s assistent. I can’t give up his hopes. And I won’t.

Firstly I need to browse the Internet for some great places where I can meet new people… and where I will be able to sleep for free. And to eat. Huh… Welcome to Windenburg, Bamboo girl.

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*Princess Kaguya is the main character of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a 10th-century Japanese story.