Three years ago, I traveled to Japan with a student group. We marveled at the fashion, the temples, the hotels (every room has a doorbell! We wore those things out!), and even the vending machines. These shining beacons of caffeine and carbonation patiently waited for us to count our Yen - quite a task, without any Arabic numerals- soothed our stomachs after too much sushi, and gave us the necessary pep to walk miles though massive and ancient temple complexes.
The coffee we saw in each of these machines was Georgia brand, manufactured by Coca-Cola (hence the name- Coke is based in Atlanta). At the time, I was also based in Atlanta- living in Marietta, a nearby suburb. I spoke no Japanese, and when people spoke no English, they often remarked “Georgia! Like coffee!” Though many Japanese were disappointed to learn that I wasn’t from where the coffee grows, they seemed to think it was pretty cool that my home shared a name with one of their favorite beverages. To a young girl overseas for the first time, Georgia Coffee made me feel at home- suddenly I had something to talk about with the people who had so graciously welcomed my tour group into their country!
You’re probably wondering why I called this post “Coffee and Health.” I almost gave you a rundown of antioxidants and phytonutrients. But that wouldn’t have been fun for anybody! Hence, I switched to emotional health. It is just SO important for each of us to connect with others- and coffee helps us do that in a healthy, positive way. (Bonus points to OVC for doing it in a way that helps individuals around the world!) The best thing nature has given us is one another- but since coffee is probably a close second, I encourage you to get together over a warm mug and celebrate everything our Village stands for. Cheers!
