How did your love of tea start? What is your favorite type?

I was born and raised in a province in the Philippines that is known for coffee, especially the Kapend Barako coffee. I have an emergency stash of barako coffee in my freezer! This type of coffee is traditionally cooked, not brewed with machines. My paternal grandfather’s coffee plantation is still being managed by my extended family in the Philippines and my family would always get the latest harvest when we visit.

When I went to grad school, I wanted an alternative for coffee, and was introduced to black tea. I didn’t love that I drank so much black tea, so started looking into other teas so that’s how I found tea cozy. I’ve been on my tea journey since 2007. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite! Right now I would say the sencha from Blue Willow in Berkeley is my favorite.

Tell us about your recent trip to Asia.

My main goal for this trip (and really, for all my trips!) was to explore tea plantations and farms. My other goal was to go to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and explore the many different types of tropical fruits. I tried phoenix mango, which is about 11 inches long, and was blown away by the flavor. I love fruits, and love that Malaysia had so many new fruits for me to try.

I really loved visiting Malaysia – the people are nice, and the food was amazing. One of my favorite memories of my time in Malaysia was trying a new soup called Sayurlodeh, which is a vegetarian cocnut soup with lots of vegetables. It was delicious and I’ve never had anything like it before.

I also visited Taiwan, and I love that for such a small place, there is always something to do. There was a lot of focus on using ingredients that are in season and eating food that is appropriate for the season. It was autumn when I visited, so I tried a lot of the clear broth soups. I also loved the rice that is wrapped in bamboo leaves with toppings inside. Besides traveling for tea, I also travel for food.

You’ve traveled to other countries as well, particularly to explore tea and its cultural significance. Which countries have you visited, and where do you plan to go next?

I initially started doing tea-themed travel in 2019, and my first destination was  Chiang Mai, Thailand. I chose it after watching a documentary about the city. I stayed in a local BnB, and it was situated next to the Singha tea plantation. Every morning, the host and I would walk around the plantation to areas that are not open to the public.

Other places I visited were: South Korea for their 5-flavors tea, Hong Kong for the Tie Guanyin tea, and Europe to learn about tea storage and exports.

I would love to go to Jeju Island in South Korea, and Sri Lanka.

What do you love most about your job?

My love for education and seeing a learner progress from a newbie to graduation is such a rewarding experience. I especially love working in the HPM Fellowship because of the interdisciplinary connections and relationships of our team. I love working in the DPM because of how collaborative everyone is, and our group’s cohesiveness.

You have an MA in Education and have extensive experience in higher education. What drew you to this particular field?

I went to Sacramento State for college and graduate school as a first-generation college student. I was accepted into the Educational Opportunity Program and was placed in an administrative assistant role where I had to give campus tours to prospective students. That experience of working with students was really appealing to me and I wanted to pursue a career in career counseling.

In pursuing a graduate degree, I chose a Masters in Education in gender equity studies, and my thesis was the prevalence for women in children’s literature. I finished writing my thesis 6 months in advance, and was offered to do a job by the Educational Opportunity Program to mentor student assistants about outreach and campus tours.

When I graduated, I saw a job description for a undergraduate medical education position for Touro University and their major partner in the Central Valley was UCSF Fresno. I knew that I wanted to be at UCSF, and applied to the Pediatrics residency coordinator when the position opened. I loved managing the Peds program for 4 hours and time really does fly when you love what you do.

You’re an avid reader. What genre of books do you like to read? Are you a fan of e-readers or physical books?

I love Asian American women literature. I’m a big fan of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and have read The Mistress of Spices and Oleander Girl, and I love the themes of her books that center around young women from the Indian culture. I also love authors Lisa See, Ming May Yip, Jessica Hagedorn, and Haruki Murakami. IQ84 is my favorite Murakami novel and have read it at least 10 times.

I am a fan of physical books! I love the experience of holding a physical book and personalized bookmarks.

I’ve heard you mention here and there about your in-home rower. What made you get one? Tell us more.

I was an avid runner since college, but had to stop after I had meniscus surgery.  I had to look for an alternative exercise form that is easier on the knee, and really enjoyed using the rowing machine as a full body workout during the pandemic. My rowing machine is the Concept D2, and I didn’t realize it at the time that’s what rowing athletes used. I got it because I didn’t want machines with the fancy wifi connection! I really want to row on the water sometime, but most places require that I learn how to swim which is another goal of mine.

If you could learn anything, what would it be?

Rock-climbing! But, maybe I’ll start with swimming first.