Drink a "Mate"

"Mate" is a traditional beverage from Argentina, South Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The beverage consists of hot water served in a wood container, which is filled with dried leaves from "Yerba Mate", and is drunk from this container using a special metal straw.

It is like a tea but the method of how one serves it is what make it different and peculiar. The hot water is kept in a vacuum bottle, and is served slowly in portions into the wood recipient called "Mate".

This is considered a social event and even though you can drink a "Mate" alone, drinking "Mate" with other people makes this the standard drink during an informal gathering.

In a gathering, someone will be the one who is in charge of serving the "Mate", usually this person will be the host of the gathering. Each serving is drunk in sips until is ended, then a new serving of hot water is made (served with serving sounds redundant*) by the host and the "Mate" is passed to another person until a round is completed.

The sharing in a circle will end until the water is finished, the water is cooled, or all the guest are satisfied.

If you are in a "Mate" round, you can end your participation saying, "Gracias" when you return the empty "Mate" to the host.

Drinking a "Mate" with other people shows acceptance. Employees will invite their boss to a "Mate" if they feel comfortable with them at work and bosses will accept the "Mate" showing they care about the employees's feelings (in English, when you say feelings, it sounds a little awkward in this sentence, I would say, "showing they feel the same) .

Sometimes it is hard to accept a "Mate", maybe because the host makes an awful "Mate" or you aren't comfortable by sharing the same straw with strangers. You are always able to reject a "Mate", but in some cases, drinking an awful "Mate" is a test you are commited to be accepted (you can also say, drinking an awful "Mate" shows your commitment in displaying acceptance.") 

A while back, a friend and I were stuck on the road in another country. We ended up getting saved by a local man. That story includes the worst "Mate" I ever drank, but I have no doubts I would drink it again to show that person my appreciation. 

Very good essay! I feel the same way about Mate. Some people I know prepare it horribly but I drink it anyways to show them my appreciation and acceptance.  Looking forward to hearing more about Argentinian culture!! 

Drink a "Mate"

"Mate" is a traditional beverage from Argentina, South Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The beverage consists of hot water and dried leaves of "Yerba Mate" served in a wooden container and is drunk using a special metal straw. 

It's like a tea but the serving method is what makes it different and particular. The hot water is maintained in a vacuum bottle and is served slowly in portions into the wooden container, which is called "Mate".

Although you can drink a "Mate" alone it is usually a social event, drinking "Mate" with other people is the standard drink for an informal meeting.

In a meeting, one person is in charge of serving the "Mate", usually this person is the host of the meeting. Each portion is drunk in sips until it is finished, then a new portion of hot water is served by the host and the "Mate" is passed to another person until a round is complete.

This circular sharing will either end when the water is finished, the water is cooled or all guests are satisfied.

When you are in a "Mate" round you can end your participation by saying "Gracias" when you return the empty "Mate" to the host.

Drinking a "Mate" with other people represents acceptance. Employees will invite their boss for a "Mate" if they feel comfortable at work and the boss will accept the "Mate" showing that they care about their employees' feelings.

Sometimes it is hard to accept a "Mate", the host might make an awful "Mate" or you maybe you're not comfortable with sharing the straw with strangers. You can reject a "Mate", but in some cases an awful "Mate" is a test to show you are commited to being accepted.

A while ago, a friend and I were stuck on the road in other country. We ended up being saved by a local man. That story includes the worst "Mate" I have ever drunk but I have no doubts that I would drink it again to show that person my appreciation.

Drink a "Mate"

"Mate" is a traditional beverage from of Argentina, South Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The beverage consists in is made with hot water and the dried leaves of "Yerba Mate"  served in a wooden container,and is drunk from this container using a special metal straw.

It is like (or: it resembles) a tea but the serve method way  it is served is what makes it unique. different and particular. The hot water is maintained kept in a vacuum bottle,(or:thermos) and is served is slowly in portions poured into the wood recipient beveridge container which is called the "Mate".

This is a social event, despiteand although you can drink a "Mate" alone, drinking it  a "Mate" with other people makes this the standard a common drink to have in on an informal meeting.

In During a meeting, one person will be who is in charge of serving the "Mate" and usually this same person will be the host of the meeting.(or: the meeting's host)  Each portion of Mate is drunk in sips until is ended, finished then a new portion of some more hot water is served by the host and the "Mate" is passed to another person until a complete round of the guests is completed.

This circular sharing will end until the when either the water is ended,finished or has  the water is cooled or all of the guests are satisfied.

If you are in a "Mate" round, you can end your participation by saying to the host telling "Gracias" when you return the empty "Mate". to the host.

Drinking a "Mate" with other people shows is a symbol of acceptance. Employees will invite offer their boss a "Mate" if they feel comfortable at work, and bosses will accept the "Mate" to showing they care about their employees's feelings. 

Sometimes is it may be hard to accept a "Mate", maybe if the host make has made an awful one "Mate" or you aren't comfortable by sharing the straw with strangers. You allways can reject a "Mate", but in some cases an awful "Mate" is a test to see if you are commited to be accepted.

A long time ago, a friend and me I were stuck on the road in another country. We ended up being saved by a local man. That story includes the worst "Mate" I have ever drunk, but I have no doubts that I would drink it again to show that person my appreciation.

Well done Cristian and an interesting insight into your culture.  Although I don't know how comfortable I would be having to share the same straw with several other people.  It kind of reminds me of having to share someone else's toothbrush which gives me the creeps!

Keep up your interesting posts!