Korea 2012 Guest Post – Gaby Parker 4

Before the final week of our trip, we had the opportunity to visit Inje University for two days to get to know the students involved in their tea club. The students were so welcoming and prepared awesome presentations on the Korean Language and a Korean Tea Ceremony History! Being on

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Julie Miller 4

Returning to a place you have come to love is always a wonderful experience. No, I’m not talking about home, though the call of a good hamburger has been hard to resist at times. I am talking about the wonderful city of Seoul. A few day ago, the five

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Elizabeth White 4

Guest Post by Liz White: I tend to avoid fires. For those of you who know me, you know that I have the coordination of a wet noodle. And for those of you that I haven’t met, well trust me I am literally a bull in a China shop.

Korea 2012 – Coffee in Busan

For those of you who don’t know, Korea is obsessed with with coffee. The history of tea is long, exciting, and full of cultural depth; but coffee is the here and now today. Most of the coffee in Korea is terrible; if you think my letter to Saints in

Korea 2012 – ChaXi on Yakcheonsa

As I’m sure many of you know; I study ChaXi with Teaparker (Chih Jung Sien) and Stephane Erler of Tea Masters Blog; and like them, I like to make ChaXi in far away, hard to reach, exotic locals. Sometimes The Penn State Tea House just doesn’t cut it,

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Elizabeth White 3

Guest Post by Liz White: I guess you could say I’m a bit of a country bumpkin. The city is always fun and exciting, but for me, there is just something about the rural areas that make me feel alive, fully embracing the carpe diam inside me. So what

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Pat Penny 3

Guest Post by Pat Penny: We arrived in Gurye just in time for dinner, we were met by the familiar face off Mr. Hong Kyong-Hee. Mr. Hong was one of the guests that flew in to Penn state to present on Korean tea ceremony and tea production methods. After

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Julie Miller 3

Guest Post by Julie Miler: Long after this trip has ended there will be several experiences that will still remain vividly in my memory. One of these experiences happened last week near the small town of Gurye. Nothing that I have done on this trip has enhanced my knowledge of

Korea 2012 Guest Post – Gaby Parker 3

Guest Post by Tea Institute Member Gaby Parker: Last week we made the trek from Gimje to Gurye to spent a couple days on Mr. Hong’s tea field! It was one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me because everything I’ve learned about tea and

Korea 2012 – On Leadership and Goals

When traveling alone, I only had to think of my own want’s and my own needs. When traveling in a group, I had to compromise on my goals and make sure my needs were met. Now I’m leading a group of 4 of my students, who I am