What I Learned from Starbucks (1)

At 8:20 p.m., I squeeze myself onto an overflowing train. Dazzling skyscrapers soar into the sky. Luxurious boutiques punctuate the streets. The world’s most populated city never sleeps.

Yes, life in corporate Japan is stimulating. But perhaps too stimulating at times. Navigating the urban landscape, still somewhat awkwardly, I set my eyes on the distinctive green logo and walk into a Starbucks, or "sutaba" as they call it in Japan.

Admittedly, I am a product of espresso culture. I relax with a cup

of caramel macchiato. Engulfed in the smell of coffee, I think longingly of my time in the Emerald City. Leisurely strolls on Bainbridge Island and the night view of luminous Seattle skyscrapers my family and I admired from the ferry. Countless picnics we enjoyed in parks on glorious summer evenings. Pike Place Market’s famous flying fish we watched while oohing and aahing with tourists. 

And, of course, I’m not forgetting that Pike Place is home to the original Starbucks with the brown mermaid logo.

Memories keep coming back. I drown my homesickness in my cup. In the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle, I relish the opportunity to experience the Emerald City from across the ocean, just for a little while.

(追記：アップル社での体験について先に書きましたが、スターバックス社での学びも忘れられないものでした。続きを書く予定です。）