I can’t believe it’s already time to write about the second part of our AM Program.
It honestly feels like I blinked.
The days didn’t disappear. They simply folded into one another until suddenly, I found myself looking back.
If Chapter 1 was about discovering Obubu, then Chapter 2 was about belonging.
⏪ Time to rewind.
The first big milestone?
We survived Spring Harvest.
It was exhausting, messy, intense… and incredibly rewarding.
For the first time, I got to witness tea processing from start to finish. Hearing the machines come alive after spending days harvesting the leaves gave everything a new meaning. Suddenly, all the explanations I would later give during factory tours weren’t just things I had learned, they were things I had experienced.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited watching tea become tea.
I think it’s a period where I learned so much.
We had the chance to learn the basics of hosting a matcha ceremony thanks to Alix, who came to visit (Merci). We made black tea ourselves, discovered the Tencha factory, explored countless tea tastings and tea lounges with Katrina, Garance, Miwako-san and many others.
Even learning how to remove ticks became part of the farming experience. Definitely not the glamorous side of tea farming… but very much part of the adventure.
As the days grew warmer, so did the work.
Long hours under the sun, sunburns, soaked T-shirts, endless bottles of water… Somehow, even those sweaty afternoons have become memories I look back on with a smile.
Outside of Obubu, Japan kept surprising me.
I finally visited Tokoname on a solo trip after hearing everyone talk about it for weeks. I completely understand the hype now… although my wallet certainly didn’t appreciate the experience as much as I did.
I also got to experience two beautiful parts of Japanese culture: Kintsugi and Kyudo.
Both taught me, in very different ways, about patience, intention, and embracing imperfection.
But if there’s one thing this chapter taught me more than anything else, it’s how quickly people become part of your life.
As the weeks went by, the bond within Slot 2 grew stronger.
What had started as a group of strangers slowly became a little family. Between harvest days, tea tastings, shared dinners and countless conversations, we found our rhythm together without even realizing it.
Then came our first real goodbye.
Watching Slot 1 leave was harder than I expected. It was the first time I truly understood that life at Obubu moves in cycles. Just as you start feeling at home with the people around you, it’s already time for someone to leave.
The hardest part of Obubu isn’t the farming.
It’s learning that every goodbye comes much sooner than you’re ready for. And somehow, life doesn’t stop.
Before we even had time to process those emotions, Slot 3 arrived.
New faces. New stories. New energy.
We welcomed them with a pizza party, an enormous Suica watermelon (thank you, George!), and plenty of laughter.
Before long, they weren’t “the new people” anymore, they had become part of our everyday lives.
It’s funny how quickly strangers become friends here.
A quiet ritual that continues, enjoying tea as it should be, whether at home or in a cafe.
June soon became one of the most meaningful months of my journey.
I celebrated my birthday surrounded by people who, only a few months earlier, had been complete strangers. Somewhere along the way, they had become friends I’ll carry with me long after this program ends.
To the girlies who spent my birthday chasing fireflies with me: thank you.
That evening will always have a special place in my heart. Sometimes the most unforgettable memories aren’t the big adventures, but simply running through the dark together, laughing while tiny lights danced around us.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t just learning anymore.
I had started sharing what Obubu had taught me.
Helping new teammates during their first days, answering the same questions I once had, showing them around the farm, explaining the factory process, and watching them discover everything with the same curiosity I had only a few months earlier.
It’s a strange feeling to realize you’ve become part of someone else’s beginning while you’re still living your own journey.
Looking back at the photos, I don’t just see new faces or changing seasons.
I see growth. I see confidence. I see friendships that grew stronger with every shared experience.
Even me.
I’ve even reached the point where insects landing on me don’t immediately send me into panic…
Baby steps.
Writing this now feels a little strange. Slot 3 has already been here for over a month, and as I’m putting these words down, Slot 2 is getting ready to leave. That’s just how life moves at Obubu…
Another reminder that nothing here stays still for very long.
Jessica, my dear mentee, thank you for your strength, your kindness, your determination, and for being such an inspiring badass (your new haircut absolutely suits you!). I’m going to miss you.
The more time passes, the more I realize this experience has never been just about tea. What I’ll remember are the people.
The conversations that stretched long after work was over. The laughter around the dinner table. The quiet moments with a warm cup in hand. The early mornings in the fields, the little adventures on our days off, and even the goodbyes that always seem to come too quickly.
It’s strange how the moments that feel the most ordinary while you’re living them quietly become the ones you hold on to the longest.
So, to everyone who’s been part of this chapter, thank you. Thank you for your kindness, your stories, your laughter, and for making Obubu feel like home.
Summer is only just beginning. Everyone keeps telling me the real Obubu summer is still ahead: the humid days, the endless farming, the exhaustion, the laughter, and all the unexpected moments that come with it.
I don’t know exactly what the next few months will bring, but I have a feeling they’ll leave me with even more stories to tell.
It’s simply the end of Chapter 2.
See you soon for the next one.