If I'm not in the tea house, I'm on the road to the tea house.

Taiwan is a country rich with tea culture. It is a place where it is not difficult to find yourself surrounded by tea and tea paraphernalia. It is a world in of itself, and stepping into this world can be as vast as jumping into the ocean. This world is commonly known as “The Tea World,” and it’s made up of tea people. These are the people that eat, breathe, drink, and live tea. Sometimes they are tea vendors or they sell tea ware, maybe they are artists who have a tea room. Or they are involved in tea production such as growing tea or roasting tea. Nonetheless, tea is very important to them and it plays a major role in their lives.

I remember when I first got close to the precipice that is the divide of the tea world. I was warned...“Be careful.” Many people have thought it would be fun to play with tea, only to fall into the vastness of the tea world. Once you fall in, it is difficult to get out. As I've seen time and time again, people have invested most of their time, energy, and finances into tea. Once they get in deep, they truly are in for life. It is not a bad thing. It is just something that with will change one’s life. It is not something that happens at once, but it is the beginning of a new path. Often, this path leads to many unexpected adventures and opportunities to learn.

The depth of feeling that exists in the tea world of Taiwan is profound and it has been my luck to know it as I have. With this trip, the journey continues.