\u201cI am tasting over here very exotic coffees! I want to take more beans such as these so Saudi Arabia can get to know this Brazilian coffee,\u201d she says enthusiastically.<\/p>\n The Saudi studied in Canada and it was over there that she fell in love with coffee. \u201cI began as a habit and when I returned to Saudi Arabia I wanted to focus on coffee as a drink. Gradually, I saw coffee as a way of sharing knowledge. So, I went to France to study and took some courses at SCAE (the then Specialty Coffee Association of Europe). And when I made my first espresso, at that moment I realized that it really was what I wanted to do in my life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n A moment that changed her life forever, and that would change the lives of many other women. \u201cAs an authorized trainer of the association, I began to teach classes in my country. I teach men and women, without a problem, but I know how important it is to many women the fact I am there. They come to learn with me and says I am an inspiration. It is so important and touching. I feel honored by this,\u201d says the expert.<\/p>\n Before being captivated by the bean, Sara used to work in a non-governmental organization. And she says that now understands that to be a barista trainer combine her two callings: to help people and be around coffee. With time, already in Saudi Arabia, she took her studies in the subject further, this time with the support of her friend Osama, co-founder of The Roasting House, a Saudi coffee roasting shop. It was Osama who encouraged her to compete as a professional barista.<\/p>\n \u201cHe encouraged me to enter the competitions. In the beginning I said, \u2018don\u2019t even think about it!\u2019. But, I realized that this could encourage other people. When I began, I couldn\u2019t stop anymore. It is a challenge, it is what I like, and you learn so much! It is a rewarding experience,\u201d she says. Seeking the challenges she likes so much, Sara was crowned vice-champion in the preparation of Turkish coffee in the Middle East and North Africa in 2016 and, in 2017, she was a world finalist in the category, in Budapest, ending up in the 6th<\/sup> position.<\/p>\n Despite the promising career, Sara couldn\u2019t compete in 2018. After the merger of SCAE with the SCA (the former Specialty Coffee Association of America) to become the current SCA, she explains that she is not allowed to compete. \u201cWe still don\u2019t have a local tournament, so this year I wasn\u2019t allowed to compete in the world championship. We are organizing ourselves to hold a national competition so we can have an international representative,\u201d says the Saudi barista.<\/p>\n That Coffee Shop<\/strong><\/p>\n Now she is experiencing another opportunity that the coffee world gave her, of being a coffee shop owner. The That Coffee Shop, in the country\u2019s capital Riyadh, carries a deep meaning to her. \u201cCoffee indeed changed my life. It gave me the opportunity to know myself better. That is the reason for the coffee shop\u2019s name. In Arabic, \u2018that\u2019 means \u2018self\u2019, because that\u2019s what it is: it\u2019s me in the coffee and how much it made me see myself better,\u201d says the barista.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, it was hard in the beginning. I would enter the classroom to study (in the courses) and I was the only woman. I would look around and it was hard to speak, to situate myself,\u201d she reveals. However, Sara\u2019s story would follow another path. \u201cIt is so good to be able to say this, because as I was seeking to learn more, I met men that gave me support. Osama really helped me a lot, encouraged me! The coffee I buy today, he does the roasting,\u201d says Sara.<\/p>\n Today, the That Coffee Shop, which began with Sara only, now has a staff that includes three other women. \u201cIt is a joy for me to have these women there. I trust them so much that I can travel here at ease. I know that they will be there taking care of everything as it was their shop,\u201d she says, adding that she came to the fair also to get to know more Brazilian coffee brands.<\/p>\n Fueled by the caffeine of each tasting, she didn\u2019t want to take a break along the other foreigners of the group. \u201cI want to enjoy everything! I am tasting the coffees and, since I don\u2019t roast, I will suggest them to my friends. I want to show how the Brazilian coffee can be different of the one we are used to drink in the Arab countries,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n And the trip goes beyond business. \u201cI will fulfil my dream of visiting a coffee farm. And it will be in Brazil! I am really happy with this,\u201d says Sara. She will continue her trip with a visit to the Cerrado Mineiro, one of Brazil\u2019s producing regions that will host a tour of foreign coffee buyers in the next few weeks. Just like she did during the International Coffee Week, Sara wants to record every moment. The awarded barista and coffee shop owner want more than just getting to know. \u201cI want to share this knowledge,\u201d she concludes.<\/p>\n *The reported travelled at the invitation of the ICW organizers<\/strong><\/p>\n Translated by S\u00e9rgio Kakitani<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/45781267261_930c95c3a6_k-300x200.jpg\")
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