Mate (pronounced máh-tay) is a very typical drink for Argentinians. They drink it almost every day. You might have seen it at a hipster coffee shop. It usually drunk from a fancy cup or gourd (usually metal or with cowhide) filled with green herbs and a metal straw sticking out of it. You typically pour hot water (and sugar, if you want) over the top and sip tea (actually an infusion) from the straw. The special straw helps you keep from getting a mouth full of the herb.
It’s actually quite curious to see. In Brazil I saw people drinking mate while waiting for the flight to Argentina. When I visited clothing stores I saw the clerks drinking it behind the counter. You can go to gas stations to get hot water for your thermos to drink it on the go. As I type this my bus driver is drinking mate.
It’s a symbol of pride, really, for Argentines. Even though other South American countries drink it, they consider it something uniquely theirs.
It’s an excuse to gather and chat.
It’s an excuse to have a little luxury throughout the day. Instead of sipping on their coffee or tea, they sip on their mate (providing the same stimulant effect as those others).
And that’s the thing I like most about mate. It’s an excuse for a little luxury. Even in the middle of a hectic workday, they take a moment to relax and unwind. It’s not always “go time” for Argentinians. I could use a little more of that in my life.
When I see my wife I won’t be too revved up to enjoy time with her. When I lay down to sleep my mind won’t be racing trying to figure out what happened in my whirlwind of a day. I might take more time to drink in my life and use those experiences to create better. I might find inspiration in the simplest of places instead of being caught dry when it’s time to make something.
Do you allow a little relaxation and luxury into your day? Do you unwind even before you run yourself into the ground? Why not try that today? Take some time for yourself to get recharged. Go to a hipster coffee shop and drink some mate.
Thank you for this post. Love the cultural factor and the way you describe it “an excuse for a little luxury”. Totally agree, we need some more of these.
I’m Guatemalan and is so in our culture to invite people over or go out for a cup of coffee. As a Christian I have found that “there is power in a cup of coffee”, not in the sense of the caffeine and the effect of it in my body, but across a table: sharing, counseling, comforting, encouraging and even envisioning situations for people. Lives have been transformed over a cup of coffee, I don’t think is any different in Argentina over a sip of mate…what a great evangelistic tool! =)
Definitely. Coffee, mate, tea…whatever the excuse to get together…it’s a great opportunity. 🙂
Thank you for this post. Love the cultural factor and the way you describe it “an excuse for a little luxury”. Totally agree, we need some more of these.
I’m Guatemalan and is so in our culture to invite people over or go out for a cup of coffee. As a Christian I have found that “there is power in a cup of coffee”, not in the sense of the caffeine and the effect of it in my body, but across a table: sharing, counseling, comforting, encouraging and even envisioning situations for people. Lives have been transformed over a cup of coffee, I don’t think is any different in Argentina over a sip of mate…what a great evangelistic tool! =)
Definitely. Coffee, mate, tea…whatever the excuse to get together…it’s a great opportunity. 🙂