International Coffee Day
🌎 Hooray!
Hello & welcome new subscribers!
Let's jump into this edition of Traveling Money because it's about one of my favorite things - C O F F E E.
October 1st is International Coffee Day.
I was raised to be a coffee drinker. Every morning, our house was filled with the smell of coffee. It was how adults began their day. Dress shirt, tie, coffee, and rush out the door.
For dessert, coffee ice cream was a treat. If I had known that dumping cream and sugar in a cup of coffee would've made it taste like coffee ice cream, I would've started drinking coffee much earlier.
Iced coffee = immediate caffeine
I began drinking coffee in my early twenties. I was out of college by the time I started drinking it regularly. I was working in retail after a year or so in California, and my Store Manager loved Starbucks. She drank iced caramel macchiatos every day.
That was it. That was my in.
Caramel macchiatos from Starbucks made me a regular coffee drinker. It wasn't long before I edged into more potent and less-sweet drinks. By the time I quit my retail career, I was drinking iced americanos or straight cold brew.
The main reason I ordered iced drinks was so that I could drink them faster.
Nobody has time to take tiny sips of hot coffee while running around a sales floor. I needed it cold and quick.
I've had coffee every day since.
Brewing coffee at home is comfort; it's a fleece blanket on a cold day. I look forward to it every morning.
Baristas used to be hardcore
Coffee was something I wanted to be good at. I wanted to know how to order my drink properly (I practiced in my head before ordering).
I wanted respect from the baristas. I wanted to order something cool - not like a blended drink - never a blended drink - how embarrassing.
I began drinking coffee at a time when baristas were intimidating. Sure, the Starbucks people were friendly, but if you went to a hole-in-the-wall local coffee joint, your barista was named Brent. He wore all black, carried his guitar everywhere, and had his eyebrow pierced. He was not amused when you ordered your drink wrong.
Brent was intense.
Honestly, I prefer that. If you think I'm an idiot, I'd rather know.
People that are into coffee, like these hardcore baristas - are into coffee. They're purists, and they have an opinion. Whatever your opinion is, it's probably wrong. They're right because they live it, man.
I've never worked in a coffee shop, so I never got that into it, but I could have. I definitely could've become a Brent.
Coffee is good everywhere
Coffee is one of those things that every country makes its own. Whenever I travel, I find and order coffee unique to the region. It's cool to see which places prefer their coffee sweet versus bold.
Everyone has a strong opinion on coffee, and I love it. Some countries even take their coffee breaks very seriously. Sweden, for example. ⬇️
"Making the daily journey from tropical Africa to the breakfast mugs of households all over the world, coffee beans have been scattered all over the world for more than 600 years." -National Today dot com
However you take your coffee, I hope you slow down a little today and enjoy it.
To all you tea drinkers - you're good too - you can sit with us.
I want to hear from you
Over the coming months, I'll invite other writers to contribute to Traveling Money. I want to know how other people slow down, celebrate life, or care for the planet. What are some of your favorite holidays or family traditions?
How do you support your friends or neighborhood?
How do you avoid the hustle culture?
If you'd like to contribute, please let me know.
Submissions will be 250-500 words long.
I can't wait to build this community with you and learn from everyone here.
Here are a couple of other things I wrote this week
A Job Title Doesn't Make You a Leader
Apple Bullish on NFTs Despite 30% Grab
Welcome, October. Here we are; it is officially Fall.
I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Pet your pets, pour your favorite drink, and take a moment to look around.
Until next time.
Peace,
Kit
Kit Campoy is a former retail professional. She now freelance writes full-time. She covers Web3, travel, leadership, retail, writing, and more. She also writes personal essays on Medium. Connect with Kit on LinkedIn, DeSo, and Twitter.
Don't tell Brent, but as much as I love good coffee, my favorite is coffee from work; made in a Bunn machine, in a Styrofoam cup, with non-dairy creamer (which you have to put in first, because there's never any stirrers).
I am sitting with my tea with you and Brent and loving it!!!!