Greece is a country that its locals really enjoy their coffee. They take their time to make it, drink it and coffee shops are in every corner. Especially in the city of Larissa, there are several hundred cafes, which are usually filled with locals. Thus, since the TCNs involved in the Mingling Activities are living in Larissa city, the locals involved are citizens of Larissa and DIMITRA has its own coffee training centre, some of the Mingling Activities included also brief coffee making workshops. Both locals and TCNs had the chance to prepare they coffee that they prepare for the other members of the group and they enjoyed it all together. This seemed to be very successful as it was a way to introduce TCNs to a very popular and common habit of the locals, to show locals what their coffee/tea drinking habits are and finally it didn’t required a lot of verbal communication were preparing the coffee as the facilities allow to showcase the procedure.
The practice went on like below.
Once the participants were through with the icebreaking activities they gathered around the bar and a barista took everybody’s order and then invite them in the bar to assist prepare their beverage. Everybody were very happy that had the chance to use the professional equipment. In continuance, TCN volunteers prepared some typical beverages of their culture to share with the locals and enjoy during the rest of the Mingling.
Aim of the best practice:
– To bring TCNs closer to a very common local habit and help them understand what people that fill the coffee shops around the city are doing.
Objectives of the best practice:
-Helping TCNs to fill more comfortable when they go out to order a coffee and enjoy
– make TCN feel that now that they live in a host country they do not have to only accumulate the habits of the locals but they can also show them their ways and make them take an interest..
TCNs
Locals
Facilitators
Min: 4
Max: 10
(Of course if bigger premises are available the number of people may alter)
Depends on the number of participants. With 10 participants we would suggest an hour.
Barista
Facilitators
TCNs
Locals
Infrastructure for coffee making and/or other beverages. which the procedure is visible for everyone – This can take place in a café as well-.
Ingredients for various types of coffee and/or other beverages.
When verbal communication is not that easy, showcasing is very helpful.
Furthermore, coffee and beverages are always welcome, bring people together and reveal a very strong commonality between the cultures.
Someone may do that with cooking or baking as well, however it needs different premises, infrastructure and time.