Li Yan's
Coffee Journey: It Takes a Crack to Release the Aroma!
Coffee beans
often release their richest aroma only after being exposed to the highest
temperatures.
As Li Yan
says:
"My life
is just like this Indonesian coffee bean.
It has to go
through intense heat and crack open before releasing its aroma."
Li Yan's long,
winding journey took her from Indonesia to Taiwan and then to Hainan Island in
search of a livelihood.
After finally
saving some money, she thought she could return to Taiwan and make a fresh
start. However, after investing in the coffee bean trade, she suffered a major
setback, eventually losing more than NT$8 million.
More than NT$8
million! For a family, such a loss could feel as though the whole world had
come crashing down. But Li Yan refused to let it defeat her. She worked
part-time as an accountant, held three jobs at once during her busiest period,
and joined other new immigrant women in "Maoli Cleaning King."
As long as she
could work and repay her debts, she was willing to do whatever it took. Little
by little, she paid off her debts, rebuilt her life on a more stable footing,
and eventually even bought a home of her own in Miaoli.
During
roasting, coffee beans go through what are known as the "first crack"
and "second crack." At those moments, the beans may seem to be
breaking apart, but that is also when their rich aroma truly begins to emerge.
Life can be
much the same. Sometimes, when you feel like you're falling apart, you may
actually be discovering a whole new flavor of life. 🥰
🎬 Watch the
video: https://youtu.be/n2opEzgf2VQ?si=CgxW73HU1GkMoghh
This video uses the journey of Indonesian coffee beans—enduring intense
heat, cracking open, and developing a rich, lingering sweetness—as a metaphor
for Li Yan's life, showing how she found the strength to rise again after
facing business setbacks and financial hardship.