The Belgian summer turned the exhibition halls into a sauna, and every greeting seemed to follow the same script: "How are you?" "Hot." Every hug was a sweaty one, but somehow that only added to the atmosphere.

After a few challenging years, World of Coffee Athens 2023 felt like a true homecoming for the global coffee community. From the moment the doors opened, the atmosphere was electric.

It’s 5 am and a huge rooster has screamed and pooped in my room once again. I nearly tangle up in drying pig intestines in the kitchen, where I brush my teeth. It’s nearly time to start sorting coffee cherries. How the hell did I get here?