Oye Mate!

Sorry, no pirate adventure story here, just tea.  However, Mate is practically a staple here, almost more than bread which is pretty darn common too.  It is a tea that is extremely common in South America, but even more so in Argentina than in any other country (the Argentine president gave mate supplies as a gift to the new pope who happens to be Argentine, for this reason, you know mate is important). 

 

Mate... on vacation (yes we even bring it in a cooler bag on vacations with us so we can drink mate on the car ride)

 

Mate at home.

 

Mate Everywhere.  I am just glad I like it.  Everyday after our daily nap (which everyone in my host family takes), Marcelo (host dad), Melanie (host sister), and I drink mate and eat crackers with cheese or some sort of snack.  It is quite relaxing and we usually talk about something like history or well anything we darn well feel like.  Back to the Mate... so there is yerba mate and just mate and mate with other herbs like mint.  In my family we do a mix of yerba mate and mate with mint.  Some people take the mate without sugar but it is most common with sugar.  I have tried both, but there are a great deal of people who absolutely detest it without sugar (the student from Japan doesn't enjoy it in any form and always wrinkles up his face when he tries to drink it).  Moreover, it can be drank cold as well which I have not personally tried, but have heard is not the most pleasant experience.  For the time being, I think I will stick with warm Mate. 

There is always a Mate master (that's my term for it).  They are the once who facilitates the sugar, water, and distribution of the Mate amongst the group. 

Mate is not just among family, is extremely common to just sit with friends in the afternoons, talk, and drink mate. 

No, there is not a separate mate for every person.  Sharing is very important, and the mate is almost a social event and symbol. 

There is even a cabinet at school with Mate supplies so that when teachers don't show up or are striking we can make Mate in the free time.

So relax, take your time, and drink Mate.