Among Cups and Stories: Becoming Part of Samata House -29 September 2025 I. Samata Houses I always love riding motorcycle from my house to Samata House in the late evening . The streets of Surabaya are crowded at that hour, yet each step toward the café feels like stepping out of the city’s rush. From afar I can already smell the aroma of coffee mixed with the scent of wooden furniture and the perfume of passing people. Samata House stands simply—a former old house turned into a café and art space. Its signboard is small, just white paint with black letters: Samata House. As soon as I step inside, the world seems to slow down. Soft jazz music floats through the air. The smell of freshly brewed espresso fills my lungs. Its walls are covered with paintings by local artists, some still marked “for sale.” In one corner stands a bookshelf filled with unusual titles—poetry collections, art magazines, even old theater scripts. The self-service system here is unique: after drinking, guests r...