After a long two years, we were finally able to welcome overseas interns back to Obubu this Spring! Meet our newest interns and learn about their hometowns, favorite teas, passions, and what brought them to the tea-farming town of Wazuka, Japan!
Intern #129 – Marie
Q: Tell us about yourself: I first fell in love with Japanese green tea after tasting matcha for the first time over ten years ago. Now, a day does not go by without a cup of matcha in the morning! Aside from tea, I love being outside in the sunny, warm Texas weather, taking long hikes, and trying every variety of sweet potato out there.
Q: What brought you to Obubu: Like most interns, a love for Japanese tea and a desire to learn more brought me to Obubu! Having immersed myself in the Japanese language and culture for so many years, I wanted to be able to experience everything about Japanese tea, from seedling to cup. Being an intern has opened my eyes to the life of a Japanese farmer and has made me appreciate and savor every sip of tea even more!
Q: What is your favorite part about being an Obubu intern: While there is so much to love about being an Obubu intern, early morning harvests with Akky-san are one my favorites parts! Akky-san has so much energy and enthusiasm that I cannot help but feel energized and excited every time I harvest with him!
Intern #130 – Justin (Woo Jae)
Q: Tell us about yourself: Hi! I’m Justin Choi from Auburn, AL. I was born in Korea and I immigrated to America when I was 16 years old. Now, I’m working as a freelancer, taking photos and videos.
Q: What brought you to Obubu: I’ve worked as a barista during college and learned a lot about coffee. This opportunity got me an interest to learn about tea. Also, I started studying Japanese last October and wanted to try something new in Japan. Suddenly, I found out about Obubu online and applied right away.
Q: What is your favorite part about being an Obubu intern: I’d say that meeting new people and joining a new community are my favorite things. It is really nice to be a part of Obubu and work with great people. It is good to know how much effort and process goes through to make a cup of tea, feeling like a life lesson.
Intern #131 – Lourdes
Q: Tell us about yourself: I am a bit of a geek, a midwife, a mother of two cats, and a tea addict. If you search for INFP personality online, that is me!
Q: What brought you to Obubu: The combination of my love for Japan and tea. Also, after a hard couple of years, it is nice to be able to try something different and have time to return to my old self.
Q: What is your favorite part about being an Obubu intern: Becoming more confident every day with processing and harvesting and also getting to know everyone!
Intern #132 – Saya
Q: Tell us about yourself: I graduated from university this March with a major in Japanese language studies. From Japanese tea to Karuta and Bon Dance, I have a passion for Japanese tradition and culture.
Q: What brought you to Obubu: I was always the one to make tea for my family at dinner time, so when I began living on my own for university, I had a strong desire to share a cup of tea with someone else. Moreover, I was interested in learning more about the process of making tea and being in the tea fields.
Q: What is your favorite part about being an Obubu intern: I enjoy being outside in nature and getting my hands dirty while harvesting. I also love spending every day with the other interns who share the same love for tea as me.
Intern #133 – Laura
Q: Tell us about yourself: I was introduced to loose leaf green tea by a teacher at school and was hooked after my first cup. After trying green tea for the first time and learning that there was more to tea than PG tips black tea, I set out to try as many different teas as possible. I will be forever amazed by the vast range of incredible flavours that can be extracted from the same plant! I enjoy many varieties of tea, but sencha is my go to. I love creating things, and have a lot of hobbies. My happy place is sat on my sofa with my dog drinking a cup of tea, usually thinking up ideas for my next crafting project!
Q: What brought you to Obubu: Tea is a big passion of mine, and I’ve been trying to learn as much about tea as possible. Coming to Obubu felt like the perfect opportunity to visit Japan, such a beautiful country, in addition to learning about tea processing and life as a tea farmer.
Q: What is your favorite part about being an Obubu intern: Spending time with all of the super enthusiastic staff, who have some much knowledge to share about tea!
The next deadline for our Fall 2022 Internship Opening is Wednesday, June 15th.
Visit our Internship Page to learn more about what it means to be an Obubu intern and to submit your application today!