Cuando compartimos

This day should go down in history. Certainly in general, Argentina one ups the US in matters of sharing. I have already mentioned maté more than once here, but a refresher course is this:

Maté, a warm tea drink made with holly leaves, has this intrinsic rule for sharing in a round of people. Each person gets a turn, with the same bombilla or straw, and it is an understood rule to not talk when you are drinking. Share the maté, share the conversation.

The same is true for the cold maté more frequently drunk here in northern Argentina. Only it is called tereré, and I love it because it has more flavor as it is often served with juice instead of just water.

Both maté and tereré are shared throughout the day. One will pass by entire neighborhoods with people sitting outside their homes sharing warm maté in the morning. Tereré is more often served during the heat of the day, and then everyone returns to maté in the evening. Yes, outside again, in their lawn chairs.

Not only is this a sharing culture, but it is an open doors one as well. But more on that later, as it also depends on where you live.

Any way, I believe one can see a trickle effect that takes place beginning with the cultural practice of maté. People share drinks, for some thinking about our germaphobia, yes, we share germs, but we also share whatever other household items are needed from each other while cooking. I have brought extra flatware, and have borrowed the neighbors blender more than once.

Or like today, everyone brought their share of food to distribute during our visit to the zoo.

But all this is not as impressive to me as the sharing of the sacred.. gasp.. fútbol. That is right my friends. Tonight I played street fútbol, with teenage BOYS, and they passed the ball to me. Not just once or twice, but throughout the whole game. Even after I fell on my face from an overenthusiastic dribble down the field (lets just say that my legs really wanted to run a lot faster, but the rest of my body refused to keep up. jaja), they continued to pass the ball to me.

Sometimes I get discouraged by a somewhat more machismo society that exists here in Argentina. Some things I really enjoy too, dont get me wrong. But tonight was just so great, and I am passing the blame to maté. When a culture practices sharing from cradle to grave, even the things that are hard to part with come easier.

Chau.