Since I was younger, I have always I loved learning about other cultures through their traditions and foods. I believe that this interest originated from my own culture where food played an essential role in entertaining and making connections with other people. I learned to love cooking from my mother, who used food as a way to show her affections towards others. Today, I use cooking as a way for me to express myself and as a relaxing activity. I love learning about other ways that could help me relax because as a graduate student with a busy life, making sure that I have a calm mind helps me perform my duties well. 

Recently, I discovered my interest in drinking tea and learning about the different types teas as well as their origin. I was thrilled to learn that the Center for Student Engagement and Financial Resources (CSEF) started their monthly Cultural Tea Time event because they are providing an opportunity for students and staff to take a break from their busy schedule and drink tea while learning about country and their culture. I attended the first two that they had this semester. I really enjoyed attending because I gained some new knowledge about Tea time in the UK (December) and someone’s immigration story from South Africa (January). The speakers were great and I look forward to their future events. I highly recommend attending one of the monthly Cultural Tea Time. Below I provided the schedule for the rest of the Spring semester in case you would like to join us.

Cultural Tea Time Schedule

Monday, February 19, 2018 – 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Tuesday, March 13, 2018 – 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Monday, April 16, 2018 – 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 – 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Why Drink Tea?

Many people enjoy drinking soda, however, I realized that drinking tea is a healthier alternative. I wanted to be able to drink delicious beverages and not feel unhealthy so I tried drinking tea. Because I am not a morning person, I needed something to wake me up. I learned that instead of drinking much coffee for the caffeine (I cannot drink it without lots of sugar and cream), I can drink either green or black tea with raw honey or agave sugar instead. I still get the same effect, but with less sugar in my system.

Prepacked Tea or Loose Leaf?

I personally prefer loose leaf tea than the powered prepacked ones because I feel that they taste better and I can appreciate the delicate taste of the tea. I also discovered that the procedure of preparing tea is very relaxing especially at the end of the day. 

A friend of mine introduced me to David’s Tea, a store with a huge selection of loose leaf teas and matcha (ground green tea). I highly recommend checking out this store. They let you smell the different teas that they offer and they will even teach you how to prepare certain teas 🙂

I hope you enjoyed reading about CSEF’s Cultural Tea time and encourage you to try tea. If you are looking for any recommendations, please feel free to comment to this post.

Fun Fact: My fiance, who LOVES COFFEE, has learn to dial down on his in take of coffee. He learned to love drinking chamomile tea at night because it helps him focus. It is has become our little nightly tradition to drink tea together while we tell each other about our days 🙂