Costa Rican teen to spend Christmas in Tecumseh

Fifteen-year-old Tatiana Urena Rojas of Costa Rica will spend her first Christmas in Michigan this year as the guest of Josh Roth and Lora Kasik, owners of Musgrove + Company and The Vault in Tecumseh and three more Musgrove locations in Adrian, Jackson, and Onsted. The connection between the Tecumseh couple and the Central American teenager began as an extension of a business collaboration between Roth and Tatiana’s family, which owns Café Rivense, a specialty coffee farm.

Tatiana said she’s been to the U.S. twice before, but this is her first time in Michigan. She arrived the first week of December and will stay a total of six weeks. “It’s pretty. I like it here,” she said. “It’s really different to Costa Rica. I like the weather here.” Although the temperatures are much cooler than in her home country, the teen said she doesn’t mind the cold and would like to see some snow.

She has been spending time at the Tecumseh Musgrove and has enjoyed baking cookies and seeing how the coffee from her family’s farm completes its journey to a customer’s cup. “She’s been working as a barista. We’ve roasted coffee a couple times now,” said Josh. She also enjoys baking cookies, Lora said.

“We’re learning more Spanish and she’s learning more English,” he said.

Tatiana’s first Christmas away from her family is an adventure, but she does miss them. “It’s a little bit sad because it’s my first Christmas without my family, but we are really close. So it’s a little bit sad, but it’s exciting to spend time in another country and see new traditions,” she said.

“It’s kind of diving more into the relationship we have with the coffee farm in Costa Rica. It’s becoming more of a family type relationship versus just a business relationship,” Josh said. “It’s very important for us to understand how their traditions are in their culture, and to be able to share our culture with them is really kind of rewarding. I think it’s just strengthening that relationship we have with them and understanding more about the coffee and how we tie together with it.”

The teen loves to play basketball, cook, spend time with her family and friends, and listen to music. She will play basketball for the new high school that she just transferred to. In her country, she is in the grade that corresponds to being a junior in the United States.

Josh and Lora plan to take Tatiana on some trips to explore the state. “We’re going up north for Christmas. Hopefully we’ll be able to see some snow,” he said. “We’re also going to the Henry Ford, Greenfield Village for the holiday lights.”

They will also help her learn more baking skills and give her opportunities to gain barista experience as well as having her help roast the coffee beans for the business.

“I don’t drink coffee, but I like to make coffee,” Tatiana said. “She definitely tastes a lot of coffee,” said Lora. “She is enjoying tea.”

“She’s still very much involved in quality control,” said Josh.

Tatiana’s family, while missing her presence, is glad she has been given this opportunity. “They are really happy because I can practice language and learn a lot of things. They know I love cafeterias and baking cookies and being a barista, so they are so happy for me,” she said.