Community, according to Wikipedia, is a “group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity…that shares some common values,” and what better way to bring a group of people together than with a cup of tea?
When I arrived in Australia, I had to start over: I had to find new friends, introduce my business to a new country and familiarise myself with my new surroundings. Turning to the wonderful world of Social Media made the daunting prospect of settling into a new country so much easier. I used Meetup.com for making friends, Twitter and Facebook for meeting like-minded tea business folk and tea enthusiasts, and many other Social Media platforms to connect with tea lovers around the globe. With the help of a dear tea friend of mine came the creation of Queensland Tea Meetup to connect with as many like-minded tea lovers as possible.
With my meetup, we have so far talked about and sipped a variety of teas, shared our experiences of tea ceremonies, debunked a few tea myths, discussed the history of tea and learned about the health benefits of tea. With Queensland Tea Meetup, it is my intention to raise awareness of and to visit the wonderful tearooms, cafés and restaurants of Queensland that have gone against the grain and have opted to serve good quality tea. Everyone has a great story when it comes to tea, and using Social Media platforms to connect with like-minded tea folk helps to create a sense of sharing and belonging in our communi-tea.
If you have moved into a new country and would like to meet with other tea lovers, or even if you’ve lived in your town or city for awhile and would like to meet with like-minded tea enthusiasts, why not find your own communi-tea on Meetup.com? And if there isn’t one, why not create one like I did? As I raise a cup of tea to all tea lovers in the world, may I wish you the very best of luck with finding your own communi-tea.
Editor’s note: Meetup.com is for meeting with local people interested in a particular topic. Twitter and Facebook communicate with people worldwide on any topic. Other options are available as well.
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