On Campus — November 12, 2009
Students remain undecided on trayless trial
Student opinion remains divided as the trayless trial continues.
“I think we should have trays because it’s easier to carry stuff, and easier to move stuff,” freshman Andrew Oller said.
Not all students thought the absence of trays posed an insurmountable challenge.
“I think it eliminates the amount of dishes, because especially at Dobb’s it’s all plastic, besides the utensils,” freshman Kelsie Rook said.
Rook also had no qualms about carrying plates.
“I think it will be fine, it’s not hard to carry things in your hands,” she said.
Georgian delegates participate in wine tasting
In celebration of the Georgian delegates visit to Columbia, the MU Reynolds Alumni Center hosted a Georgian wine tasting Thursday night.
Delegates from the Republic of Georgia are spending a week in Columbia to learn more about government accountability through the Open World program.
Georgian MU graduate student David Javakhadze said wine plays an important role in Georgian culture.
“For Georgians,” Javakhadze said, “wine is not just alcohol, it’s part of our culture.”
Wine is one of Georgia’s biggest exports and a point of pride for Georgians, he said.
“The purpose of wine drinking is not to become drunk,” Javakhadze said. “In my culture, the biggest shame is to become drunk and lose control. The whole idea of drinking wine is to share, when you drink wine you become more open.”
Javakhadze said there are many traditions when drinking wine in Georgia.
“Georgian wine-drinking is a science,” Javakhadze said.
For example, when drinking wine in a large group, Javakhadze said, one person is assigned the position of toastmaster who is in charge of toasts for the evening.
“For each toast there is a different tradition,” Javakhadze said. “There are around 40 different toasts. Every toast is a kind of prayer.”
Not every toast is acceptable in Georgia.
“If you toast in Georgia by beer,” Javakhadze said, “this is a very, very bad thing. People will become offended. If you don’t like someone, then you can toast by beer. We toast by wine for only people we love.”
Javakhadze said a passion for wine is something Americans and Georgians share, but Georgia’s passion is rooted in their country’s history and traditions.
“Wine is something holy for us,” Javakhadze said. “It is a gift from God to Georgians.”
