My Barista Story , My Life

1. how I become a barista?

It’s been a while since I started to fall in love with the art of coffee. 

An amazing world full of motivation, hard work, sacrifices, learning’s, happiness and success. 

A world that gives me an opportunity to show up myself, meet friends and share my passion.

A Science world full of knowledge, my barista world.

28 years ago when I was born in the province of Iloilo Panay Island Region IV city of Iloilo ( Barangay Madarag San Enrique Iloilo). A girl with a big dream and wide imagination. Life was not easy in the province. The service of transportation is low and poor economy.  But it was not a hindrance to pursue our dreams. It was difficult   to start when my real mother died when I was 6 years old. I grow up under  the custody of my aunt and cousin’s  because my real father  always drunk since my  mother died ( my Nanay) . I was an adopted child of Bagnes family. Life must go on.

 I started my journey as a young competitive girl at  Madarag Elementary School. First time is always the best experience.

 I started my journey as a young competitive girl at Madarag Elementary School. First time is always the  best experience. Way back at my first grade level at the age of 7 years old   I started to join dance competition and participates on academic events and declamation.

The year passes by I started to join sports organization and compete to other school.  That was amazing childhood experience full of memories,camaraderie’s with friends and classmates.

We shower at the lake with Carabao, playing Filipino traditional games like “piko”. The most unforgettable experience is eating sugar cane fresh from the farm and climbing guava tree beside the mountain and exchanges it to a pad paper to our classmates. It was amazing experience.  I graduated  as Salutatorian or 2^nd honor during my elementary level.

Step up to the next level of my life School Life) at Madarag National High School.  I started to be matured and responsibilities begun. Puppy love and crushes   are real. I grow up like a boyish girl and strong heart.  A new big world offers more activities at high school life. I maintain being active on joining competition and step up on many events. It was full of fun and excitement.  Suddenly my first year at high school was ended rough.  Our papa (father) died when I was 13 years old. That time was really hard for us and we lost some properties.  My papa is bus driver and very hard working man. But at the end of the day we must learn to move on and keep going              

2^nd   year level of my high school life was not good. I acted like a   rebellious child and follow my own  since our   father died.  That year was not easy and we suffer too much. The biggest mistake I ever had in my life and everyone should not follow.  No matter how hard you’ve been trough  never give up and keep going. 

There are people who encourage me to go to fellowship on church and become my friends. Inspire me to keep going and start a new life. It was god’s way to help me from drowning and keep going with my life.

During the 3^rd level of my high school life we started to join the Town festival representing our School (KALAMAY FESTIVAL). The Festival is a tribal dance competition with a story line.                                                             

  Competing tribe

                                                                   Sugar cane farm

Our town is one of the producer of sugar since the Spaniards colononized our country. We used to practice  Spanish culture and traditions. It was an amazing journey to compete with other tribes and places learning from their own story, sportsmanship and meeting new friends.

Last year of my high school life, full of pressure with studies, sports activities and exams. One of the biggest event of my life. I compete with the regional sports competition as thrower (discuss throw). We also join at one of the famous festival in the Philippines (DINAGYANG FESTIVAL of ILOILO). 

 It was amazing and the best journey I can say, learn and  enhance confidence, enjoying and lots of fun. But  as a student we should be responsible enough to our  self and make everything balance especially to our studies. I felt sorry to myself because I graduated at  high school without academic award and I have learned my lesson. Before the yearend November 2015 our Mother died. The most difficult stage of our life.We lost inspiration and strength.  It’s hard indeed.  At the end of the day life must go on and keep going strong. We stand together and fight for the challenges of life. Nothing permanent in this world and everything leads to change. That was the most painful I’ve ever experienced.  Anyway no  matter how  hard the situation is, always find a reason to smile.

                 Another journey of my life starts (COLLEGE LIFE). I took my ASSOCIATE IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT   at ST. THERESE-MTC COLLEGES La Fiesta site Molo Iloilo city                                                                                                                                      

November 2017, Manila here I go. Big world and big change of my life. I got a job quickly at the restaurant. The time passes by I’ve meet someone who makes me fall in love in a short period of time. It’s like fairy tale with magic at first. Suddenly my whole word was broken into pieces. 5 months after I got pregnant at the age of 18. I have no experienced yet and I have no parents so it was hard. It all happened because I always follow what I want and don’t listen to my sister. Big lesson I’ve learned that time and should not follow. I was carried away of my feelings and enjoy the freedom, which is wrong. Freedom is okay but with limitations. But after all I delivered a baby girl named “Jasmine”.

        Jasmine  

 memory with jasmine and her   father

 Two years after I decide to go back and   find work at Manila. I started to work at kiosk (kebabers) selling shawarma and kebab meal. Then I got a job at Chinese restaurant (NORTH PARK NODDLE HOUSE). One of famous restaurant at metro Manila. The company helps me to enhance my communication skill towards customers. While working here I received a job offer from the owner of OMBU Modern Filipino at Quezon City under Sequoia hotel. I accept the offer and work here for a year.  Great offer and I grab it for a change.  I work there at the hotel and restaurant also. 

July 2015 when I was looking for a job and it’s a bit hard for me to find the right one and my friend offer to work at coffee shop.  Coffee world was new for me then I apply and got hired. I started as dining, server, and cashier and after few months I started to work with drinks at the bar. Caffe dolce is vegetarian restaurant and coffee shop. We don’t have enough orders of coffee everyday so little chance to make latte art on coffee. September 2016 I decided to study coffee and focus making latte art. It was a rough start for me because I have no proper I training and it takes time for me to understand the terms and technique on making it. But I never give up I put patience and sacrifice my time to learn latte art.

2. How I can meet BaristaSpace?

Eventually when the master barista resign I was assigned to make coffee even though I don’t have enough knowledge on it. Finally I was called “barista”.

 BARISTA, yeah. The amazing world full of knowledge, learning’s, and passion. #together we are strong. “ONE GOAL, ONE MISSION”.

Being a Barista is not only about making latte art or making coffee and serving them is okay.  It is all about passion and heart together and serving good coffee knowing the origin and the taste inside of it.

When I study coffee it’s like I travel when I also study their origin. “Coffee makes you travel.” Learning the techniques through experimentation and methods to get the satisfying taste of the coffee. ”coffee is a science” coffee world is amazing. Coffee is my life.

Through the help of instagram I’ve meet people who help me to become a better barista.  I started learning basic latte art trough the video’s of Sir Dristan Alsela.

I buy my own milk and coffee for practice. I used water technique, soap and food color also for practice.  Perseverance and courage to reach my goal. 

My friend Bert from Honduras also helps me a lot in learning more about coffee itself. All the factors that affects the taste of a coffee and it’s like I’m having training to him every day. I’ve meet also master dhantamang of Nepal but he is based at UK.

Master Dhan is my idol and he is the one who guide me on my latte art. He is the best and he also gives me motivation and learning’s.

also I’m thankful  for all  the barista who teach me from time  to time and advice me. It takes time, patience and courage to make a better latte art every day but most important is you do it from the heart. Nothing is greater than doing things that you love and makes you happy.

           Click the picture to Check the BaristaSpace Brand Milk Jug.

October 11, 2017, it was a blessing in disguise when I read a message from COFFEEISLIFE11 offer their amazing jugs (BARISTA SPACE).

I offer to draw their jug instead because I love to draw art on my coffee. But it was a blessing when Mike Simonou- my friend said that he is sending me a gift and shares my passion with barista space jug. I was so happy that time and feel lucky because I know I can’t have it. A customized jug with my named on it, wow awesome. BARISTA SPACE.

A jug for barista to have a space for itself when he/she is tired at work and stress, looking on their jugs with their name and logo is amazing idea and it help barista to feel better.

“LATTE ART” amazing word that described a barista how passionate he/she is. An art work that shows love and enthusiasm. I’ve been through a lot of sacrifices and hard work before I make a better art. But I never give up.  I keep going and trying something new every day.  Latte art is my world, it is my strength and power. It gives me a reason to jump out in the bed and having positives vibes all the time.

Together we are strong. Together we learn about coffee.  

One of our mission is to share the knowledge about coffee to everyone. 

To serve good coffee is our goal. Not only with the latte art but the good taste from the heart through farmers, coffee roasters, barista and brewers. Together lets make people happy.

And BaristaSpace is professional in Customize Milk jug With the Logo, that is Amazing. you can check for here customize logo coffee tools here.

 BaristaSpace customize logo milk jug With My own Logo.

More power to all barista in the world.

That is the latte art i made By BaristaSpace Milk jug.