What is your position in the coffee industry?

barista

Where are you located? ( City and Country )

in Transit

How many years have you been in the industry?

1+

If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?

yes

Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.

I have been in close proximity with the specialty coffee world for many years, but finally made the leap into becoming a barista myself this past year.
My twin brother has been in coffee since 1995 and our mother is Colombian, so I guess the coffee world was calling me...
After finishing the Pacific Crest Trail in the fall of 2008, I was back in Iowa for a bit so I decided to try my hand as a barista finally. I worked at The Java House in Iowa City, IA, but have now decided to make my way to Australia.
I have spent the last month in Portland absorbing the coffee culture here with my brother and sister in-law, who are both very active in specialty coffee.
I am hoping to continue my progress in the art of coffee when I get to Australia.

What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?

Presently heading to Melbourne, Australia, but my passion is traveling so I am open to anything.

About Me:

My background is hard to explain, but here's a quick version. My mother is from Colombia, my father is from Spain. I lived in both countries as a child before moving to the US in 1985. From 2004-2008 I lived in Rome, Italy and also spent quite a bit of time in Madrid, as well as traveling extensively... Australia, Thailand, Argentina, etc.

I love hiking and have completed 3 major hikes-- Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, GTA (Grande Traversata Delle Alpi) in Italy, and the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) on the west coast of the US .

Website:

http://www.coffeeschool.org (My brother works here)