Jajapo terere! Let's make terere!

Paraguay isn’t known for much. People only know the country exists and that’s about it, right? Well, if there is one thing I teach you through this blog, then it will be about the most important thing in Paraguay. Terere. It isn’t just a drink. It is an addiction. It is flavored water. It is cheap. It is the drink of choice for everyone in Paraguay, and they spend endless hours each day sharing this tradition. It’s pretty simple to make, so jaha!

To make terere, you’ll need:

A bombilla (metal straw with little holes in the bottom to act as a filter)

A guampa (wooden, metal, or horn cup)

A pitcher or thermos full of ice cold water. Yeah, that's the color of the water at my site. Haven't gotten sick from it, yet...

*Ain’t no ice cubes in Paraguay down here. They put it in bags and freeze it in log form.

Some yerba! No, not the cooking hierba or the Cheech & Chong hierba. Yerba mate. It’s a ground up plant that offers an acquired taste when mixed with water. Kurupi is one of the more expensive brands of yerba mate. It sells for $1.75 USD a box. The cheap yerba is non-flavored and runs for about $1.25.

Put your desired type of yerba in the guampa until half or three-fourths full. Then insert the bombilla into the guampa. Pour yourself some water into that guampa and you’ve got yourself some terere! The first “ha” (drink/sip/take) is called Santo Tomas and is undesirable and extremely strong. Lucky you if you have the first ha! 

Guampa filled with yerba and bombilla. Ready for some agua!

I don't normally take selfies drinking terere, but when I do, I make sure the thermometer reads at least 35 Celsius.

Instructions for drinking terere: Gather a group of your buddies and sit down in a circle like fashion. The designated server pours a participant their ha. Participant drinks ha, passes back to server. Server pours another ha for next participant. Next participant drinks ha and passes back to server. Repeat in same fashion in circle-like manner until you have had enough. After you finish your last ha of terere, you say gracias and leave the terere group.

FAQ:
“So you all share that same darn cup and drink out of that weird metal straw??”

            -Yes, yes we do.

“Why doesn’t each person just make their own terere and drink from that?”

            -Because that’s not how they do it in Paraguay. Sharing is caring.

“What if someone in the group is sick? Won’t that spread germs?”

-Sure.  But that’s the least of worries down here. Tranquilopa! Besides, the bombilla has little holes to filter all that stuff out!

“Well what happens if someone doesn’t want to drink….”

            -How rude of you!

“What happens if you drink terere and then eat watermelon?”

-According to Paraguayan thought process, you’ll die. But don’t worry! Peace Corps volunteers do it all the time and we’re still here!

“How much terere does one normally drink in a day?”

-Depends on how hot it is. Two liters at minimum. Some days can be 6,7, or 10 liters of water with terere. Keep that bathroom handy! Oh wait, I pee in the trees.