Interview with Sara Ruffin

Sara Ruffin,  one my childhood friends has come to Bali for a “work trip”. Her first time to Asia. Yes I can tell you of how she is amazed and stunned by the beauty of Bali, the cacophony of animals’ sounds and the scent of burning trash and frangipani flowers. But the most interesting part of Sara’s “work trip” is her visit to the coffee farms. Why, because I learned from her of the very costly coffee that is shat out by a cat in a cage is sold for 100-600 USD a pound. You think I am making it, up? This is no laughing matter (mostly because Sara needs to sample some to justify her trip to the company.)


This is her interview:

Carter: Sara, why is your hair so very puffy on top?

Sara: Well it is a combination of over processing, genetics and the extreme humidity.

Carter: How do you compare your many years of living in Latin America working in coffee to your first visit to the Kintamani and Mt. Batur coffee farms?

Sara: The farms are smaller, independent owners, like a cottage industry. I saw more coffee trees next to fruit trees and pepper trees. That’s the first time I have seen citrus with coffee. I can not really articulate anything right now.

Carter: You are single, what do you think of the men so far in Bali?

Sara: Indonesian men or the honkies?

Carter: all

Sara: The hairy aging surfer with the sagging over tanned skin is certainly not my cup of tea. However the guy with the rickshaw is really giving me a little jolt.

Carter: How has your addiction to Facebook served you while traveling here?

Sara: I can tell everyone I have lost my luggage.

Carter: I saw your images of the caged cats, how does that actually go down with them being the conduit to the coffee poo?

Sara: One upon a time the farmers were pissed off that they were chomping down on the best and ripest coffee cherries. They wanted to retrieve the prime coffee beans, so they dug through their poo from these animals. And hence, coffee is served

Carter: It just makes me sick, since you were too cheap to buy a cup, what did it smell like?

Sara: It made my mouth water. No I did not sniff it.

Carter: In the true spirit of your newly acquired single status (see Facebook) and going to Ubud like Eat, Pray, Love can you see yourself here? Bali is full of foreigner transplants starting businesses, what would you do here in another life?

Sara: Oh my god. I would be a Monkey Temple Guide. I would not have a journal and never talk about my inner discovery.   I refuse to read that book.