I gave up caffeinated coffee about 13 years ago. Back then, I worked in a coffee shop and loved to drink it at night. So I gradually switched to decaf for obvious reasons. Now, if I have a cup of the real thing, you have to peel me off the ceiling.
But lately I've been wondering if I shouldn't ease back into caffeine in preparation for our trip to Ethiopia. Thanks to some research by my blogging buddy, Holly, as well as some of my own, I've learned that coffee is an integral part of the social scene in Ethiopia. It's very common for visitors to be invited to take part in a coffee ceremony. During the ceremony, which can last a couple of hours, the beans are roasted, ground and served in a formal style. But here's the kicker, it's considered impolite to retire before you've had 3 cups as the third cup is considered to bestow a blessing.
If I did that without a little caffeine desensitization training, I would set a Guiness record for insomnia!
I'm not sure how long it will take to crank up my tolerance, but I figure since I've gone 13 years without, I better start now. Of course, I'm open to other ideas and suggestions that anyone might have. If you want to read more about Ethiopian coffee ceremony, check out this link. Did you know two-thirds of Ethiopia's earnings come from coffee growing and picking?
