It started with childhood memories of Toronto's Chinatown to a cup of loose-leaf tea from his college roommate. For Gareth, that cup slowly opened a world of Chinese tea culture. The more he learned, the more he was drawn to the craftsmanship and history behind it. "Tea taught me to slow down and reflect," he says.

About two years ago, he turned that interest into academic research, looking at how brewing is shaped by geography and climate. Then the Chinese mandarin came along. The language widened the field of his studies, and Tang poetry had him hooked with its rhythm and imagery. He visited China last autumn with his girlfriend's family. The landscapes of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the warmth of the people he met left a lasting impression.

Now, he hopes to visit Yunnan Province to see firsthand how tea is cultivated. He also wants to help more of his fellow Canadians experience China for themselves. "For me, China started with a cup of tea," he says, "but since then it's become much more."