Francesco Sanopo raises the hand of Rebecca Atienza—whose family owns
Hacienda San Pedro—in celebration as the Italian baristas cheer in appreciation
for her family's hospitality at Hacienda San Pedro for the duration of the Barista &
Farmer program in Puerto Rico.
be celebrated in Italy this Christmas.
The Italians will also leave Puerto Rico with a cadre of new comrades. As with any group that goes through such an experience,
new friendships have formed that will surely flourish in the coming
years. "I didn't know this guy before we got here," says Angelo
Segoni, grabbing teammate Edoardo Quarta in an embrace. "Now,
he's one of the best guys I know."
The Italian baristas represent the whole of Italy, and they range
in age from 21 to 46. They all have experience as baristas, but
some currently work as roasters, wholesale account managers, or
trainers. They will return to Italy as something else, too: proselytizers. They are determined to share what they have learned here
in Puerto Rico with their customers and coworkers back in Italy.
They want to explain what they've seen, describe what they've
experienced, and most of all, transfer some of the newfound respect
for the tremendous amount of labor and love that coffee growing
and harvesting requires.
For more on the Barista & Farmer program, visit the Barista
Magazine blog at www.baristamagazine.com/blog to read posts
and watch videos from Puerto Rico.
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