Hello everyone! So today, before leaving on a plane back to Beijing, we got to spend the morning at Bama Tea, which is a tea company that makes Eight Horses Tea. We went through the entire tea process. We planted our own tea trees (Miss France and I planted one together), we plucked our own tea leaves (2 at a time), we roasted and ground them down, and then got to enjoy some for ourselves. We also got to learn the proper ways to serve tea in Chinese culture! (Did you know there are 6 steps to serving the perfect tea? Surprisingly this includes pouring normal boiling water into the cups to warm them up and dumping it before serving the tea. As well, you must dump the first infusion of tea and only drink the second!) What an amazing learning experience I have had in Xiamen! I will miss this beautiful city!

After this amazing visit, it was off to Beijing for the final show! The final show is only a few days away, and I am not ready for this amazing trip to end!

Thinking of you all back home as you begin your week! Happy Monday everyone!

Catherine, xo

Picking leaves with Miss Venezuela and Miss Nicaragua!

The tree that Miss France, Carmen Lieb, and I planted together!