Helena`s Tea Journey

While I am terribly indecisive, for some reason, I never second-guessed my
idea to intern at dmatcha once. Looking back, it feels fated because every little
detail, from the people I got to meet, to the food I got to eat, to the nature I got to see
and the work I got to do, was just what I needed and just right. Working and living at
dmatcha was like entering a little microcosm in which time and space work
differently. I treated my time here like a retreat – far away from my usual reality,
connecting with nature and the few people around me, and immersing myself in the
world of tea and the routines of a farm. Although it is so confined, life at the farm
never gets boring because every day looks a little bit different.

Although working in the fields, harvesting, weeding, and fertilising, was tough,
especially at 40 degrees, I will miss it the most. It tests and builds your strength in
many ways – both physically and mentally. From fighting my spider phobia, making
myself incredibly dirty and sweaty, to seeing immaculate views in the middle of the
Japanese countryside that ground you, to being physically active and feeling so
accomplished after. You also get to appreciate every single cup of matcha so much
more because you know how much hard work went into the production. As this part
of the internship had already more than fulfilled the expectations I held beforehand, I
am now left speechless, realising that so many unexpected but beautiful aspects
added even more value to it.

First, all the tea lessons from Misato-san and also Ria opened my eyes about
the depth of (green) tea, its tradition in Japan, and how much variety there is to it.
Not to forget - whatever I needed, I was always faced with so much kindness, a
smile and patience. I surely also didn’t expect to eat that well – I don’t think I ever
have before. It led me to find my new hyper fixation meal (aka oyakodon), and the
vegetables from the garden farmed by Hiroki-san, which also happen to be my
absolute favourite (aka eggplants), were a dream come true – dmatcha’s slogan,
directly from farm to table, couldn’t be more accurate. Seeing Daiki-san be
constantly immersed in work, going straight from farming to leading a tour and
cooking, definitely raised my bar for work ethic. Even just sitting outside, watching
nature in silence but with so much awe was an experience in itself – Wazuka really is
a little paradise. Lastly, I cannot remember when I last laughed so much and felt so
comfortable with the people around me. Because there is less city noise, distractions
and more time and space for the brain to process and think, my memories of my time

Here are so vivid – and I couldn’t be happier and fuller of gratitude to be the lucky
carrier of these memories forever. 4 weeks are definitely not enough time, and I hope
to be back in the future.

Arigatou gozaimasu - My time here will always have a special place in my heart!