One of the things my daughter recently asked for was a tin of super-bougie Oolong tea. Of course, she got it. Little did I know how much I would enjoy it.
She brewed her first pot and asked me if I wanted some. I never miss the opportunity to partake in a cup of tea with Josie.
She poured us two cute little Japanese mugs of tea. We sat down to enjoy them and talk. I was immediately transported back in time to a tea house in Japan with my friends in the late 90s.
I lived in Japan from 1997 to 2000. Those are some of my favorite times of my life. I drank a lot of tea and blame it for my 20-plus-year tea obsession. It had been a while since I had Oolong. It filled my senses. It was almost too much. I think I teared up at the memories this small cup was delivering.
I told my daughter how much this tea took me back to Japan and began to regale her with stories. I’m sure I bored her to tears, but it was a wonderful trip down memory lane for me.
I tried to describe to her the cherry blossoms in spring. I went into all the amazing food. She perked up at this. My girl loves good food, especially Japanese food. I told her funny stories about my friends and our adventures. I talked about the wonder of the country and how I would go back in a heartbeat.
Japan is one of the most special places in my heart. I’ve been gone for 25 years, but I’m reminded of it every day. From the art in my house, to pictures of friends, to the food I cook, to this wonderful cup of tea.
Japan gave me a greater sense of adventure. It fueled my travel bug. When we were there, I wanted to experience everything. I was not a food or travel wimp. I went places. I did things.
I feel like I should have been more intimidated by the vast cultural differences, but I never was. It somehow felt like home immediately. I was definitely Japanese in my former life. It’s the only thing that can explain how welcome and at home I felt in this foreign land. It was perfect. The people were even more perfect.
I made many friends—both American and Japanese during my time there. I’m still in touch with many of them.
I found my Buddhist faith while there. I still practice to this day. It has changed and bettered my life in countless ways. It has certainly made me a better person. I will be forever grateful for that.
So many emotions and memories all in one small cup of tea. I’m grateful for the experience. I’m even more grateful I got to relive it with my tea-loving daughter.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
