When I signed my contract, I never thought we would be staying this long, but today it is exactly 8 years to the day since I started my assignment in Pu’er. After all these years, I still really like my job, the committed team and the coffee farmers I get to work with and of course the coffee they produce. Throughout the years it was great to see the impact we had in the villages and coffee communities, as well as finding our program really is making a difference. During these eight years a lot of things have changed. Not only did the city change its name from Simao to Pu’er, and did it modernize quite bit, albeit keeping its green character, it also evolved to the Coffee Capital of China. The coffee villages and farmers flourished, almost tripling the area under production as well as the yield. Recently, on a visit to our offices, the Vice-mayor in charge of coffee mentioned that the farmers trust our operations and appreciate our services, which of course was great to hear. It made me realize once more that all the travelling and all the visits throughout the whole area the past years have resulted in a strong linkage with the farmers, which in turn brings the responsibility to not only keep, but also strengthen this relation. Through my work with the farmers and visits to their farms, I really feel part of the community. And it has been a joy seeing both the number of coffee growers linked to us and the volume we purchased have increased so significantly over the years. And last but not least, also privately we will always be linked to Pu’er. Eight years ago we arrived as a newly-wed couple, now we are a family of four, with my eldest even managing a few words in the local dialect. All of us love this little city (to local standards at least) close to the country side with its diverse and friendly people.
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I have just returned from my home leave in Belgium. Traditionally we spend most of it close to the town I was born, Ghent. It's a city where old and new are intertwined in a way that daily modern life takes place against a historical backdrop as it was never meant to be any different. The rich history of the city attracts numerous tourists from all over the world, and this year we mingled among them, with the kids in tow, to rediscover some of the beauty of the city, camera at the ready as a true tourist.
Last Friday was a very special day for us, as it was our youngest's first birthday. A year has passed in which she turned from a curious little baby into a no longer all that little, but still ever curious, inquisitive toddler. And just like her big sister, we celebrated this milestone with a big party and a big cake.
I've just returned from a visit to our E&D Farm in Xishuangbanna and like everywhere else in the region, coffee harvest and processing are in full swing. But it's not just us humans that know what to do these days. During our walk in the plantation, we saw a lot of flowers in bloom, keeping birds, bees and the likes busy.
Last week saw the third Pu'er Minorities' Culture Festival. Three days in which one could admire the traditional dresses, dances and crafts of some of the minorities that live in the region. And we happen to bring our own minority to the festival, being our little girl. From the moment she was spotted, cameras were pointed at her. She even got a little private performance of an elderly man, in an attempt to get a smile from her for one of many eager photographers. A passion for coffee might well be heritable. One of the first words my daughter learned was coffee and soon after that she figured out that I had something to do with coffee. Ever since that day, whenever we go to the supermarket, she will direct us to where the coffee is, point at the Nescafe and go: 'coffee - daddy'. I probably don't have to tell how sweet I think she is at those times. And today sees her second birthday. Have a happy one, little girl!
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AuthorI wouldn't be surprised to find out I was born with a passion for coffee. For the life of me, I can't remember not loving coffee. And by that, I don't just mean drinking it, but everything involved from its cultivation over the processing to the final product that is my loyal companion throughout the day. Archives
February 2014
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