Is the choice of tea over coffee a taste preference or for some other reason? Tea drinkers fascinate me, I always feel like I’ve found an alien 👽 also, and green tea recs?

Mostly taste preference. I've tried coffee several times and the taste is always off putting.

Depending on where you are, you can get great tea from local Asian markets! Brands I tend to get are either ito-en or Yamamotoyama.

Matcha is arguably the most popular; it's quite gentle. Oolong and Jasmine are fantastic imo, and Hojicha has a really bold flavor due to being roasted. When brewing just try to be mindful of the temperatures (near or below boiling) as green tea can end up extra bitter if left in hot water too long.

There's also bottled teas from ito-en which I'd say are iconic staples— refreshing and convenient way to try tea!