Illustration by Sana Amin/The Gazelle

Cuddling in bed under my cozy blanket with a Warmly Yours cup of tea in my hands, I watch familiar faces walk across campus from my bedroom window. I can only think about the words everyone said to me before I came here: “Bring something that reminds you of home.” These Warmly Yours packs of tea from Turtle Green are the items that remind me of home.

Turtle Green has been open to visitors since April 2010 in Rainbow Street, one of the more touristy places in Amman. Month after month I was noticing the increased attention this place was attracting. As a matter of fact, even Queen Rania of Jordan paid Turtle Green a visit, which was great publicity for the tea bar, but it made my cozy getaway a little more crowded on the weekends. During her visit, the Queen was told that Turtle Green stands out from other tea bars because of their authentic mixtures of tea and herbs — the Warmly Yours collections of satisfying and healthy tea even improve metabolism.

Sipping Warmly Yours, I’m immediately displaced and find myself seated in the middle of this cozy cafe. I absorb the feeling of home this place bestows upon me. I turn around to watch people enter, walk down the eight steps and take a look around. Everyone is trying to determine where exactly they belong. The non-smokers easily find themselves settling down at one of the three tables behind me, where you can either grab a chair or relax on the couch. Behind these tables rests an aquarium with two turtles inside, which become a much bigger distraction in such a small place. Smokers pass on my right, walk past the counter and climb up the stairs. It suits the introvert in me that there are always less people downstairs.

I keep trying to determine what in this place gives me the satisfying feeling of home. Sometimes it’s the art pieces by the obscure local artists; other times it’s the big chalkboard above the bar, used as a communal device to leave short messages to future visitors; but it always seems to be the music. One day I walked in and found a note on the blackboard: “Only if you are muzza, call 079…” Muzza is a terribly vulgar word for attractive in Arabic. Only after looking at the number twice did I realize it was my best friend’s number, and it turned out some of his friends were trying to prank him. Afterwards he told me that he realized the scribbling on the chalkboard isn’t a very efficient way to pick up women.

When I’m around friends who smoke we climb up the stairs into the more inhabited section. Climbing the stairs is an adventure as the beautifully displayed music CDs on the wall inevitably prolong my every step. The CDs contain brilliant albums by underappreciated Arab artists, which you will not find elsewhere easily. Afterward comes a section of the café that serves unhealthy food and welcomes large groups of smokers. It always seems to be cozier than the non-smoking one — probably because of their artistic smoking in the same romanticized way smoking is depicted in movies.

Turtle Green is the reason why my answer to the question of tea or coffee is always tea. To me, tea is more than just English Breakfast or Earl Grey; it is Warmly Yours, Lemon and Nostalgia and sometimes Jabal Amman. To me, tea is inseparable from Turtle Green, which instantly prompts memories of my favorite bartender there, who always served my tea with a brilliant smile, a fun fact and a compliment. Tea is the brotherly waiter who I always go to catch up with at Turtle Green. Tea is Turtle Green where my first date took place.

This tea bar will always be my go-to place for good music, the perfect cup of tea, kind company and unforgettable conversations.