Paris, France
Intern #124
Hi there! Claire speaking. Hope you’re having a nice day.
Before Obubu
2020 was my year in Japan with a working holiday visa. But as soon as I arrived in January, a nasty virus you may have heard of started conquering the world, a fact that has consequently changed my plans. Instead of a year, I’d spend only 6 months in Japan. Or so did I think.
Why Obubu
Before coming here, I knew a few teas such as genmaicha, houjicha and sencha (in general), and had this vague idea of wanting to know more about Japanese tea. Thus, in June, I kind of randomly booked a tea tour at Obubu, with the aim in mind to go back to France three weeks after. I applied for the internship the day after the tea tour. So these initial three weeks became 3 months, then 3 months and a half. The very first day of my internship, during the welcoming party, I thought :”this is were I should have been since the beginning!”. And I keep thinking so.
So my answer to that question would be: contingencies of live programme (stay tuned!)
During Obubu
Difficult to sum up! Being here during the summer harvest, I learnt the basics in many aspects of tea: agriculture, brewing, tasting, paicking & labelling, culture. Although just a few, we had the opportunity to run a few tea tours. I do believe I’m leaving with more questions than when I entered though – but that is a good thing, isn’t it?
I also I could not hide to myself anymore the fact that I was a umami flavour lover (Obubu staff can confirm). I’d say I am especially interested in the brewing & tasting aspects, although it is so complex…
Everybody at Obubu has a different story to tell about tea and I enjoyed learning about it – of course it is not solely about tea ;)
Anyway, hitherto it has been a while I haven’t felt sad to leave a place – but that’s another good thing, isn’t it?
After Obubu
My plans are not very precise yet, but developing my palate is definitely on the list!
Once going back to France, I may work in a tea-related company…who knows? My main point is to make this experience not only a pleasant parenthesis in my life but keep learning.
Obubu staff, thanks for having me here, I’m really feeling lucky getting to meet you.
See you somwhere between Paris & Wazuka!