Ahhh, I can feel the relaxation

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to the Tea Ceremony. I thought the tea master was going to be strict and judge all the mistakes we made, but he was just the opposite; he was friendly and knowledgeable. I loved how the tea master said we had to leave our cell phones and watches outside, because our outside lives should be, well, left outside. All the stresses of life must be erased from our minds for that short period. It is pretty funny how the tea room is located in Manhattan, where life is so fast- paced, but when you enter the tea room everything changes.

The tea master had such a great personality. He wanted to keep a conversation going so we wouldn’t feel bored. He wanted us to ask him questions. I liked how he said his favorite part of the tea ceremony is when he is able to surprise people. This shows how much he loves what he does.

The tea ceremony was definitely an art form. The way the women were walking and the movements they made when they picked up the tea were so structured, yet beautiful. The cups were also well- decorated. I found it interesting how the tea room was simple- looking, except for the one calligraphy picture and the flower arrangement. This lets you focus on just the experience of drinking the tea.

The sweet was pretty good, but I wished we had more to eat since I was starving. Me, Jackie, Hye Jin, and Carla went to Chipotle after the ceremony and we were so relaxed even though it was raining outside and we were so hungry. It was great to be able to immerse yourself in a completely different culture. I probably wouldn’t have gone to a tea ceremony on my own, so I’m glad we were able to do something so different.