Introduction to theme: It became evident that the theme of this media study resonated with my personal journey from the very title. Transitioning from a small island, Cyprus, to the amazing city of London has been both exciting and challenging trying to find how to belong here. Over the past few weeks, my focus has centred on finding places that feel like home. As I explored the streets of London, I discovered numerous Greek/Cypriot owned coffee shops.

Project development: Stepping into these cafes, I instantly experienced a comforting connection to home, triggered by the familiar scents that enveloped me, especially the unique sounds from the technique of the Greek coffee making.. The alignment between the theme of my media study and this personal exploration has solidified my decision to delve deeper into the unique intersection of cultural identity, migration, and the spaces that foster a sense of belonging with the ritual of coffee. By discovering these cafes, in a city like London which has a diverse range of many cultures I encountered many others finding their way of belonging with coffee.

The aim of my study is to capture this ritual, both mine and others’, with the help of the sounds surrounding the coffeeshop, showcasing the dynamics of movement and the sense of belonging. The initial idea I have from the research I have gathered, alongside the lectures provided, is to audiate, document and film the storyline between cultures sharing the same historical ritual. In more depth of this idea. Different senses evoke different memories and experiences allowing us to relate to these feelings. Each medium focuses on each one awakening the nostalgia.

Being exposed to a variety of different sources such as exhibitions, readings, films, recordings, lectures and photography, has helped me find a direction I would like to delve further into my idea. Looking into various artists that focus on exhibiting audio, and very detailed sounds, I was inspired by the work of Janet Cardiff. Alongside her husband, Janet created the audio of a night walk in Edinburgh, by capturing her movements but also audiate the background noises of the city. Looking to focus on the nostalgic sound of coffee making in the city, I will experiment with different mediums, to capture these sound effects.

The findings which I have gathered research from, is firstly a column in the Sapiens Anthropology magazine written by Gideon Lasco ‘Finding Calm-and Connection-in Coffee Rituals’ which he details the ritual of coffee combined with social life in Ethiopia. Another article I want to include is ‘Coffee Rituals Around the World’ by Alecia Wood. This article shows the different techniques used for coffee in each country ‘Sipping Across Continents: A Global Tour of Coffee Culture’ by Nicholas Peterson.