When I was at school, I assumed that teachers in the staff room would mostly be discussing students, teaching, how to improve things, etc.
A few years after I graduated, I spent time with my teachers in the staff room, and realized that the conversations are far more mundane. The main topic of discussion (which went on for what felt like half-an-hour) was: Why was the tea at the high school staff room far inferior to the one for the junior school staff room? What could they do about it?
It was a bit of a shock for two reasons.
- What!? Teachers don’t spend every second of their time thinking about students and teaching?
- Tea!? Who cares about tea? Why care about tea?
That day, my perspective changed.
25 years later, my perspective changed again. I wasn’t a tea drinker. I started a year ago when I switched my daily lunch to Ya Kun Kaya Toast’s Set B: Kaya peanut butter toast (which is heavenly) + eggs + tea. I always get it from the same branch across my office.
There’s one guy who I think makes it slightly sweeter, and a lady whose tea is more bitter. I spend a fair bit of time every morning (and sometimes it feels like half-an-hour) agonizing over who will be making my tea today.
Never thought the day would come, but this is one of my highlights of the day: having his tea for lunch.
