Dinner in Latin America
There is quite a cultural difference in Latin America between the attitude towards mealtime and food, and the attitude often found in the United States. Food is a huge part of life in Latin America. It’s not just the food that is so important, but the whole ritual of eating and sharing food with others that has a deeper meaning.
Before we get too deep into mealtime, let me say that the food in Latin America may not be exactly what we picture it to be. Especially in South America where most people have never heard of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and many of the other typical “Mexican/American” dishes. While living in South America I had the opportunity to eat many different types of food. I ate a lot of beans, rice, and fish. I also had the chance to try many exotic foods; such as guinea pig, cow stomach, pig’s feet, and many other unrecognizable meats that I didn’t dare ask what they were as I ate them.
On a similar note, I had a friend who once took a trip to Mexico. He had an “exciting” train ride around Mexico and couldn’t wait for his first meal of authentic “Mexican food” – the kind he was used to eating in America. He was deeply disappointed to learn that the “Mexican food” in Mexico is very different from the Americanized version of Mexican food he was accustomed to in the U.S.
Now back to their attitude towards mealtime. In many smaller pueblos (lower income areas), people can’t afford to purchase pre-prepared, processed, or even canned foods. Many of the women make everything from scratch and spend hours in the kitchen every day, providing meals for their families.
I lived in Latin America for two years and almost every meal I had was prepared by a native Spanish speaking woman. When they would prepare food, they didn’t see it as if they were just preparing a meal but they put an emotional part of themselves into the food they gave us. As a result, we were always expected to eat every bit of our food or they would get offended.
After almost every meal, they would ask if I wanted more. If I said, “No thanks, I’m full”, they would be deeply hurt and act as if I were rejecting them and their family. However, I quickly learned to respond, “Yes, I’d like just a little bit more since I am almost full”. They would then beam with joy and come back usually with an even bigger serving than before. Needless to say, mealtime often took a lot longer than I expected to eat all of the servings of food.
Moral of the Story: If you want a great cultural experience, try eating at the home of a Latin American. However, remember that it is important to them and that you must eat everything. Never use the excuse of being full or that you have an allergy to something; it almost always doesn’t work and will usually make the person feel bad. If you are not an adventurous eater, I recommend staying home and eating Top Ramen™.
Sneak Peak at Next Week: Food Part II – Sharing Food: I Learned the Hard Way.
¡Que tengan un buen día! (I hope you all have a good day!)
Free Lesson of the Week:
This week’s lesson comes from the complete Visual Link Spanish™ course. Click below for a fun, interactive lesson on Daily Objects.
To check it out, click here: Interactive Lesson – Daily Objects
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