Sipping Maté

This Friday a few of us girls went to our cook, Raquel's, house after lunch.  She was so welcoming and inviting and serving. Though she serves us lunch every weekday as her job, she was more than willing to have us over into her own personal living space and continue to serve us with her personal effort.  She introduced us to her house, family of dogs, actual family, and kitchen, where we all enjoyed ice cream and coffee.  Later, we all sat outside for hours simply enjoying the cool of the evening, being in each others' company, admiring the flourishing vegetation, and sipping Maté [the traditional drink of the Southern Cone].  The scene was perfect: love of relationships, relaxation outside of the busyness of life, and no watch of time; simplicity.  I felt like this was yet another step deeper into the South American culture.  Its entry way was marked by a Uruguayan staple: sitting and sipping Maté.