I've been home almost a week, juggling between jetlag, work and moving, life seems to be moving way too fast for me.
The first impression arriving in Rwanda is the red earth, the heat and hills that make up most of the landscape. And I was surprised at how busy the street of Kigali was. I didn't know what to expect since I've never been to Rwanda or Africa, at all. I was amazed to see streets packed with cars and apartment buildings. I even went to a mall that has a really fancy grocery.
Now, being home for almost a week, I wish I had more time in Rwanda, hanging out with the people and visiting the various parts of the country.
Rwanda is bustling with actitivities, developing fast and furious. I visited one local cafe, Bourbon Cafe, that only serves coffees from the different regions of Rwanda. This cafe is a great example of what the country can be and is going to be - catching up with the rest of the world.
What did it mean to me going all the way to Rwanda?
Being in Rwanda and seeing the different levels of involvement by different organizations has made me realized how important it is to be engaged at the ground level. It is so important for me to understand what goes into a cup of coffee and the many challenges facing the famers and origin country.
Sometimes I've forgotten what it is to love coffee. Seeing all the Cuppers from all over the world has made me realized how lucky I am to be part of the industry; to be an advocate for better quality coffee, being part of a community that is so keen and passionate about improving community development and encouraging responsible business practices.
I really appreciate what Cup of Excellence has done and is continually doing. It is my second trip to a country of origin with CoE, and my first time meeting with government officials. I am blown away by the dedication of every sector involved. Susie and Paul are a pair of dynamo; relentlessly working away, pushing to get better infrastructure and working conditions, inorder to produce great quality coffees by famers.These undertakings ultimately will improve the growing conditions for the farmers. It is crucial for the health of a country that, at the moment, is leaning heavily on agriculture.
I really enjoyed my time at the coffee lab, slurping and spitting away. We cupped a total of 45 fully-washed coffees that were of an old bourbon varietal. Rwanda's coffees are softer in nature and often have fruit and chocolates notes in them. It helped me calibrate to what I like to serve at the cafe and helped me form a mental picture of a roasting profile and possible marketing efforts for these coffees. The top 10 coffees are of stellar quality and I am really happy with what we, the Jurors' selected.
At the award ceremony, listening to numerous speeches by various keynote speakers, I sensed a challenge amongst the fellowmen of Rwanda; to increase production, to learn about and implement better technologies, and to work harder to become the leading coffee growers of Africa. I feel confident they will become mature, sooner than later, due to their obvious dedication.
The participates of this program will now assist in bringing Rwanda coffees into the International market, allowing consumers like you and I, to have a chance to drink high quality coffees. And in return, our spending will be be re-invested into this beautiful land, its people and ultimately the livelihood of the farmers. A worthy cause!
Rwanda, a young nation, is the ONLY country in Africa that is part of the CoE program, joining Nicaragua, Brazil, Columbia, El Salvador, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Hondurus and Guatamala
I had an amazing time. I came away educated. And I met so many fantastic coffee lovers and businesses. I am reminded why I love this business and excited by the huge amount of potential that is out there!.
