Coffee shops and learning
It’s been a few weeks since I last wrote my last blog and already, I feel a lot has happened. It’s the perfect time to sit down, have a hot cup of coffee by my side and recollect the moments.
I have a list of coffee shops in London I want to visit and I’ve been to seven shops so far. The thing is that out of the seven coffee shops, I don’t have a particular favourite. All of these coffee shops have a certain character and vibe, which I adore. The beauty of coffee shops is that each will have their own personality and feel, from the decor of the shop, the baristas and staff who work there, the customers who come in and out. My friends and I would meet up at one spot and enjoy a morning cup of coffee, catching up on how our weeks have been and then venture on a long walk around town or even to the next spot. That’s one of the great things about my friends - whenever one of us explored a new interest or passion, we would invite others to join in and we naturally would tag along. Mine being coffee, I’ve somewhat taken my friends down this coffee rabbit hole and showed them the potential of what coffee can be. Two of them are doctors and often drink instant coffees that come out of vending machines, my other friend would occasionally drink instant at home. On a weekend when we’re all free, I’d bring my trusty Aeropress, a bag of fresh coffee beans, hand grinder, french press for frothing milk and milk jug over to one of my friends house and whip up some fresh coffee. I’d give them the coffee beans, pour them into the grinder and hand it over to them, just to share the experience of what grinding fresh coffee beans is like (and it’s a great arm workout first thing in the morning!) One of the joys is the smell of the fresh coffee; it is such a pleasure to unlock the roasted coffee aromas from the beans. What’s even motivating for me is knowing my friends enjoy their cup of coffee and being part of the process in making their brew.
Coming back home has opened my eyes to, well, anything about coffee and it got me thinking about what particular part of the coffee industry I want to be in. I have this constant fire to better my knowledge and experience as a barista, yet I haven’t worked in a coffee shop since I came back in May. Of course, this wasn’t for lack of trying. I applied for some part-time barista jobs, but knowing that I’ll be flying back to Hanoi makes temporary barista work a little difficult as many shops are looking for someone long-term. Of course, I don’t blame them! Being part of a coffee shop is like joining a family so naturally they would like someone committed in the long run. Since finding work was proving a little difficult, I looked to develop my barista experience further so I went on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) website. I thought it would be a great opportunity to look at official SCA barista courses so at least I can get some qualifications under my belt. Right now, I am doing my SCA Foundation in Barista Skills and I am really enjoying it! You know that feeling when you have an interest in something and you want to learn more about it? Yeah, this is exactly that. Working as a barista for the past year really helped with the knowledge and theory in the course and I’m learning a lot of new topics as well, more than I initially expected.
It’s the moments like these that encourages me to delve deeper into the world of coffee.
