The monk and nun baristas
By Alessandro Carosi - I have wanted to go to South Korea for a long time, for several reasons: to see an old friend again, to understand the world of Korean coffee, which plays an important role in the lives of Koreans, and to learn about Buddhism.

I love to travel and to immerse myself in the local culture, I think it’s the best way to understand it and I love the world of coffee, I always try to combine the two. Recently, I lived in a coffee plantation in northern Thailand and three years ago I worked in a coffee roastery in Bangkok.

Before leaving for Seoul, where I wanted to spend a couple of months, I sent emails and messages on Instagram to every café and roastery in the city, I wanted to get into the South Korean coffee industry, but despite my efforts and hundreds of messages, I couldn’t find anything. The trip to Asia would go ahead anyway, and if I couldn’t do it by working in a coffee shop, I would look for something else.

Time passes and I have an idea that is definitely inspired by something greater than myself, fascinated by Buddhism and the lifestyle of monks, I think, why not trying to spend some time in a temple, considering that I practise meditation daily and many of the principles of Buddhism, it could be an opportunity to meditate in a more spiritual setting, understand more about this religion and, in my free time, visit cafés and deepen my interest in South Korean coffee culture. …. anextraordinaryandordinarylife…