Uruguay
Guide for dating in Uruguay helps you to meet the best girls. This dating guide gives you tips how to date Uruguayan women. You will learn rules where and how to flirt with local Uruguayan girls. We advise how to move from casual dating to the relationship and find the real love. We also tell the best dating sites in Uruguay. In this article below you will find more information where to meet and date girls in Uruguay, South America.
Girls in Uruguay:
- Looks of girls: 3.5 / 5
- Attitude of girls: 4 / 5
- Loyalty of girls: 4 / 5
- Education level of girls: 4 / 5
Dating in Uruguay:
- Chance of arranging dates: 3 / 5
- Casual dating culture: 2.5 / 5
- Online dating popularity: 2 / 5
Sex in Uruguay:
- Women's sexual activity: 2.5 / 5
- One-night stands: 2 / 5
More about Uruguay:
- Nightlife in general: 3 / 5
- Locals' English level: 3 / 5
- Budget per day: US$50 - $500
- Accommodation: US$10 - $250
Contents
Dating
The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It borders Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and east, with the Río de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. Uruguay is home to an estimated 3.51 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city, Montevideo. With an area of approximately 176,000 square kilometers, Uruguay is geographically the second-smallest nation in South America, after Suriname. Owing to its colonial past, Spanish is the main language spoken by about 75% of the population. English is common in the business world and its study has risen significantly in recent years, especially among the young.
Dating Uruguayan girls is always a good and enjoyable thing. They’re always glad to meet single guys from other countries. The high level of popularity among foreigners is caused by the peculiarities of their national character and traits, making them excellent wives. If you ask an Uruguayan girl out, be ready that she’ll perceive you as a potential fiancée. It’s the peculiarity of their worldview.
Dating Culture
Dating customs are similar to those in other countries, although young people usually date only one person at a time. Some rural families have retained traditional European customs in which the young man asks the parents' permission to date the young woman for the first time. He must also ask her parents' permission before getting engaged. Young people enjoy dancing, dining out, going to the beach, and watching movies. Many couples live together before marrying, which may happen in their mid to late twenties or when they decide to have children. Both families play a large role in preparing for a wedding, and they often associate closely after their children are married.
Sugar Dating
Sugar dating is one of the best ways to find a date in 2023. Men who are willing to buy gifts for sugar babies, will get physical or emotional pleasure for a return. Take a look of the wide selection of girls from SecretBenefits.
Online Dating
Dating in Uruguay can be a bit tricky due to not knowing if you have a solid connection, so your best bet is to sign up for a dating site before you venture to the night club or bar, so you can meet a few locals ahead of time. AdultFriendFinder.com lets you meet local members in Uruguay and get to know them on a personal basis before you meet in person. Take advantage of site features like live chat and member to member webcams so you can begin flirting before arranging a face-to-face meeting.
Webcam Dating
Feeling lonely in Uruguay? Arrange a virtual date with your favorite webcam girl right now! We have thousands of hot girls online waiting for you. Visit DatingLocalGirlsLive.com!
Women
According to international statistics, there is a "very high proportion" of Uruguayan women participating in the labor force of the South American country. The Uruguayan legislation maintains that the women of Uruguay have equal rights to power, authority, and privileges". In reality, however, women are still not occupying "higher economic, professional, political, social, and religious positions". Concerning the political arena, UN Women reported that a 2012 study made by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) ranked Uruguay as being "103rd out of 189 countries in terms of representation of women in Parliament". Uruguay's low ranking is partly due to its low political participation of women: only 16% of members of Parliament are women as of 2014.
The gene pool in Uruguay is truly vast, with many young girls having traits and attributes from various other countries that neighbor Uruguay directly or indirectly in South America. Secondly, many young women come in from neighboring countries for work or education and these women are naturally from different ancestral backgrounds with different sets of features. Hence, you shall come across women, some of whom are blonde, some are brunettes, and some are tall, slender and supermodel-like while some are short, curvy and voluptuous.
These women have medium to long tresses, they have light eyes which are usually of green or blue shades, these women have a long and sharp nose beneath which sit a perfectly-shaped set of plump lips, most of the ladies have an ovular or square-shaped face with well-defined jawlines and high cheekbones. Despite the vast physical differences, the average Uruguayan woman is tall and should be almost 5 feet and 7-8 inches tall. Most of these women have a good figure, with rather large buttocks and a big set of gorgeous breasts.
Uruguay, like any other country, is made up of many types of women:
The first group is made up of girls who have been in a bad relationship in the past and are unwilling to commit themselves to another relationship. While some will claim that they will never fall in love again, all they need is the right way to approach them and a lot of patience. The risk of such women is that they come with insecurities from their relationships and so any slight feeling of being taken advantage of will have them getting mad and even overreacting.
Another type is the girl who is always getting into relationships. This lady believes that she must be in a relationship. She has been in several relationships as she keeps getting disappointed but without picking any lesson jumps right back into another relationship. This cycle ends up affecting her self-esteem as she may start to think that she is the one with a problem. While she has been hurt enough times to make her unwilling to commit again, she is afraid of being single and will always look forward to getting someone else.
With the effects of modernity creeping in, another type of Uruguayan girl that you will find is the one who is addicted to her career. This is the lady who worked hard in school, passed and joined the university to study her dream career. After getting a job, this girl enrolled back to pursue higher education. As a result of this, she does not have time to socialize as her life involves commitment at work with meeting in between after which she has to go to an evening class.
Uruguayan Girls (age 18 - 29)
As the girls undergo a transition from childhood to adulthood, they undergo a physical transformation in their bodies. What was before small lumps on the chest, grow on to become soft succulent and round breasts. Uruguayan women are naturally endowed in this area and you will start seeing the ladies consciously making them visible. The bum and hips also expand significantly. The facial complexion also changes resulting in naturally beautiful faces.
The women work hard and take care of their figure but they often lack a healthy diet and hence you won’t see many of them sporting a flat stomach or rock hard abs. Nonetheless, when you see these women in their bikinis, you will be turned on and attracted to them. These women are up to date with the latest fashion trends, they are well to do, and have access to various forms of beauty treatments, cosmetics, and so forth.
Most of them would either be students, fresh graduates or working a job. They tend to have a considerable amount of spare time on their hands to indulge in dating and love affairs. This lot is also the most likely to engage in casual sex with strangers. One other thing which is noteworthy about them is that they absolutely love sports, so it is likely that most young girls that you come across would be a part of some sport.
Uruguayan Women (age 30 - 45)
This is what can be considered to be the ripe age as the women from this age bracket have matured enough, both physically and emotionally. Since, women in Uruguay are very family oriented in general, most of the women from this age bracket are likely to be married and settled down with their families, but there is a considerable number of single ones too. Those who are still single or the liberal ones will still be inclined to put on tight clothes that enhance their features.
The married ones are devoted to their families and are some of the most faithful wives. It is advised to not become involved with a married woman even if the chance presents itself. This is because the men tend to be extremely violent when it comes to infidelity. Crimes of passion are known as a common occurrence so it is best to avoid any complicated situations.
Those who had not married earlier get married and settle down in their families. As they do so, they strive to maintain a balance between the family and their careers and social lives. Many people lose friends at this time as they are unable to find time to catch up as was the case earlier in life. It is also at this time that many women make choices in their careers before settling down to pursue what they want and this will affect how they spend their time.
Uruguayan Ladies (age 45+)
Age is catching up with most women and their feature will be slowly losing shape. The breasts and bum will no longer be as supple as when they were younger. However, some of the women here can afford the most luxurious beauty enhancement products that they will use to slow the deteriorating brought by age.
The women are given their fair share of freedom right from an early age, with little gossip or judgment being passed by the society. With social freedom when financial freedom is combined, women are truly independent in every sense of the word. For those lucky women in formal employment, they will have risen through the ranks in their organizations and some may be in senior positions while others may be employers in their own right. Even the unmarried ones will be rich enough to have some property of their own such as houses and cars.
Age and experience will have made these women very mature especially in matters of relationships. These older women are mature enough to know what they want from a relationship and they will not hold back from stating it. Even though they may have lost some of their beauty and charm with age, these women know how to treat men and you can be sure of a good time with her.
Foreign Girls (tourists, expats, students, etc.)
There is a considerable number of foreign women visiting the country ever. If we divide them into groups, it comes to light that the first and oldest groups of foreign girls in Uruguay is Armenians. The Armenian girls are descendants from many years ago who came in escaping from civil unrest in their country. Another group of foreign girls is tourists. The tourists mainly come from the neighbouring countries of Argentina and Paraguay and other South American countries. As one of the most developed countries in the continent, Uruguay attracts many girls from neighboring countries who come in to study in the country's institutions.
Sex
As pointed out, many Uruguayan girls are traditional in mindset and only get intimate with someone if they see them having a future together. However, there are still many local girls who do not mind engaging in casual sex. These girls are mainly found in the clubs and entertainment spots in the country. Another group of girls who easily engage in casual sex is the students in the tertiary institutions of learning. This is because these girls are enjoying their long-awaited freedom having lived with their parents for much of their childhood.
Sex Culture
Having been conservative for a long time, the sex culture in the country is greatly changing and it is becoming more liberal. This is because of a liberal approach that has seen the country accept all forms of sexual orientation including same-sex relationships.
One-Night Stands
Although many Uruguayans are conservative and rarely engage in one-night stands, the trend is changing many young Uruguayans are hooking up and having sex only to go their separate ways in the morning. This has been also greatly influenced by the great number of foreigners who come into the country for different reasons. These foreign women are seldom looking for long term relationships but will be content with one-night stands.
Best Places to Meet Single Girls
After two centuries of living in the shadow of its bigger neighbors, South America’s smallest country is finally getting a little well-deserved recognition. Progressive, stable, safe and culturally sophisticated, Uruguay offers visitors opportunities to experience everyday ‘not made for tourists’ moments, whether caught in a cow-and-gaucho (cowboy) traffic jam on a dirt road to nowhere or strolling with maté-toting locals along Montevideo’s beachfront.
Short-term visitors will find plenty to keep them busy in cosmopolitan Montevideo, picturesque Colonia and party-till-you-drop Punta del Este. But it pays to dig deeper. Go wildlife-watching along the Atlantic coast, hot-spring-hopping up the Río Uruguay, or horseback riding under the big sky of Uruguay’s interior, where vast fields spread out like oceans.
Bars, Pubs and Nightclubs
- Moby Dick: This classic pub in Punta del Este near the yacht harbour is where Punta’s dynamic social scene kicks off every evening. It's open year-round, with a mix of DJs and live music.
- Lotus Club: Located in Montevideo, this a really great party place. You would definitely enjoy. a night at this place.
- OVO Nightclub: This club is located in Punta del Este and is one of the best party locations in the city. The atmosphere is vibrant and you will get to enjoy amazing cocktails at this place.
- Shannon Irish Pub: Always hopping, the Shannon in Montevideo features a variety of Uruguayan microbrews plus a full complement of other beers from over a dozen countries. There is live music 365 days a year, from rock to traditional Irish bands.
- Capi Bar: Launched in 2015, Punta del Este's first artisanal brewpub serves up its Capitán home brew along with craft beers from all over Uruguay. The classy, low-lit interior also makes a nice place to linger over reasonably-priced fish and chips, rabas (fried squid) and other bar snacks.
- El Drugstore: Food at this touristy corner place facing the main square in Colonia del Sacramento is mediocre and overpriced, but it still might tempt you for a beer or cocktail break, thanks to its 12-page drinks menu, polka-dot tablecloths, vividly coloured interior, outdoor seating with perfect views of Plaza de Armas, and two vintage cars on the cobblestones. There’s frequent live guitar music.
- El Lobizón: Lobizón’s cellar-bar atmosphere, free-flowing pitchers of sangria and clericó (white wine mixed with rum and fruit), and tasty snacks such as its famous gramajo (potatoes, ham and eggs fried up with onions and parsley) make it a perennial local favorite in the capital, Montevideo.
- Café Roldós: Since 1886, this venerable bar-cafe in Mercado del Puerto has been pouring its famous medio y medio, a refreshing concoction made from half still, half sparkling wine. It's a perennial favorite with the locals of Montevideo on weekends.
- Lo de Joselo: For a quintessential Polonio experience, head to this ramshackle bar, overgrown with dense shrubbery and flowering vines. Blind bartender Joselo presides over the funky candlelit interior, serving up licor de butia (alcohol made from local palm fruit), grappamiel (honey-infused grape brandy) and stiff shots of caña (sugarcane alcohol).
- La Ronda: At this popular bar between Plaza Independencia and the riverfront, choose between the dark interior where the bartender spins vinyl or the sidewalk tables cooled by breezes off the Rambla.
- El Mingus: With exposed-brick decor and boldly colorful walls, this high-ceilinged corner bar is a popular neighborhood hangout for drinks and occasional live bands. It is located in Montevideo.
- Museo Del Vino: A wine shop by day, this downtown venue also hosts frequent live tango performances in the evenings, accompanied by an excellent selection of Uruguayan wines.
- Fun Fun: Since 1895 this intimate, informal venue has been serving its famous uvita (a sweet wine drink) while hosting tango and other live music on a tiny stage.
Shopping Malls
Shopping malls are a great place to interact with all sorts of women. Not only that, there is a lot more like eating, watching movies and obviously shopping to do. Some of the malls in Uruguay include:
- Plaza Arocena Shopping Mall
- Montevideo Shopping
- Melancía Rivera Mall & Free Shops
- Micenas Mall
- Paseo Jose Ignacio
- Salto Shopping
- Galeria Av. Sanfys
- Punta Carretas Shopping
- Portones Shopping
Outdoors
- Plaza Independencia: Montevideo's largest downtown plaza commemorates independence hero José Artigas with a 17m, 30-ton statue and the subterranean Mausoleo de Artigas, where an honor guard keeps 24-hour vigil over Artigas’ remains. Other notable structures surrounding the plaza include the stone gateway Puerta de la Ciudadela, a lonely remnant of the colonial citadel demolished in 1833; the 19th-century Palacio Estévez; and the 26-story Palacio Salvo, the continent’s tallest building when it opened in 1927, and still a classic Montevideo landmark.
- Isla de Lobos: About 10km offshore, this small island is home to the world’s second-largest southern sea-lion colony (200,000 at last count), along with colonies of southern fur seals and South America’s tallest lighthouse. The island is protected and can only be visited on an organized tour.
- Monte de Ombúes: On Laguna de Castillos' western shore (near Km 267 on Ruta 10), brothers Marcos and Juan Carlos Olivera, whose family received this land from the Portuguese crown in 1793, lead two- to three-hour nature excursions. Tours begin with a 20-minute boat ride through a wetland teeming with cormorants, ibis, cranes and black swans, followed by a hike through the ombú forest.
- Mercado del Puerto: No visitor should miss Montevideo’s old port market building, at the foot of Pérez Castellano; the building's impressive wrought-iron superstructure shelters a gaggle of bustling parrillas (steak restaurants). On weekend afternoons, in particular, it's a lively, colorful place where the city's artists, craftspeople and street musicians hang out.
- La Mano en la Arena: Punta’s most famous landmark is this monster-sized sculpted hand protruding from the sands of Playa Brava. Constructed in iron and cement by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal, it won first prize in a monumental art contest in 1982 and has been a Punta fixture ever since. The hand exerts a magnetic attraction over thousands of visitors every year, who climb and jump off its digits and pose for photos with it.
Just off Plaza Independencia, the elegant Teatro Solís is Montevideo’s premier performance space. First opened in 1856, and completely renovated during the past decade or so, it has superb acoustics. Regularly scheduled tours provide an opportunity to see the actual performance space without attending a show.
- Casapueblo Gallery: Gleaming white in the sun and cascading nine stories down a cliffside, Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró’s exuberantly whimsical villa and art gallery sits atop Punta Ballena, a jutting headland 15km west of Punta del Este. Visitors can tour five rooms, view a film on the artist's life and travels, and eat up spectacular sunset views at the upstairs cafeteria-bar. There is a hotel and restaurant adjacent.
- Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales: Uruguay’s largest collection of paintings is housed here in Parque Rodó. The spacious rooms are graced with works by Blanes, Cúneo, Figari, Gurvich, Torres García and other famous Uruguayans. For a closer look at some of these same artists, visit the Museo Torres García, Museo Figari and Museo Gurvich in Ciudad Vieja, or the Museo Blanes in the Prado neighborhood north of Centro.
- Represa Salto Grande: A source of national pride, this massive hydroelectric dam 14km north of Salto provides over 50% of Uruguay’s electricity. Free 90-minute guided tours (half-hourly) visit both the Uruguayan and Argentine sides.
Universities and Colleges
Although not famous for it, Uruguay has some considerably decent universities, with most of them being in Montevideo. There are a number of local as well as foreign students studying at these institutions and there's nothing stopping you from approaching a beautiful university student. Some of the universities and colleges found in the country include:
- Universidad de la República, Montevideo
- Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay, Montevideo
- Universidad ORT Uruguay, Montevideo
- Universidad de la Empresa, Montevideo
- Stella Maris College, Montevideo
- Labor University of Uruguay, Montevideo
- Universidad de Montevideo
Relationship
Relationships in Uruguay have a conservative nature around them. For most Uruguayans, dating is meant to lead to marriage. Many of the women are especially known to be shy and conservative, they are family-oriented and as a result of this, they are not particularly into hookups despite being sexually charged. The women prefer intimacy over casual sex and meaningless flings. Wooing the local women is quite easy and you wouldn't need to put in too much effort to win them over.
However, the only effort you shall require is in the initial stages when you have to break the ice and ask her out for a date. It is recommended that you befriend her, compliment her, establish a level of comfort and then flirt with her, before asking her out. After this, you can take her out for a nice dinner, some romantic music, a few drinks, and any activity that shall bring the two of you closer is acceptable.
These women, as already explained are more into the idea of a serious relationship that could lead to marriage. So, if you are actually looking for a long term commitment and a loyal partner, you will find Uruguay to be the right place for you.
Holiday Romance
A holiday romance will entail a short term romantic relationship with no strings attached, with things coming to an end when you leave the country. However, as stated earlier, it would not be easy to find a local who would be too willing to be in such a relationship. Regardless, it's not impossible as well. Moving on, it is worth noting that Uruguay sees a considerable number of foreigner women in the shape of students, expats and tourists. The foreigner women who are tourists are more likely to be looking for a companion on their trip and they would be much easier to have such a understanding with. You need not limit your approach to the tourists only, the expats and students are great options too.
Once you've found someone who doesn't mind being romantically involved for a short period of time, you will have so much to do with them. you can explore the country together if your partner is a tourist. If she is a local, she can be your tour guide and show you around all the amazing places that she knows about. It can safely be said that if you manage to find a romantic parter in Uruguay, you will return home with one of the most amazing memories of your life.
Tips for Successful Relationship
Every relationship starts with the interesting spark and it is not difficult to be happy with your partner in the beginning of the relationship. However, over time, a lot of effort needs to be put in to keep yourself and your partner happy. A relationship can be best judged for the extent of its success by gauging the happiness of both the partners. There is no set formula to make your relationship a successful one, but there are a few general tips that you need to keep in mind if you want your relationship to be a success. Some of these tips are as follows:
- Efficient communication: It is extremely important that you come up with a way to communicate with your partner which doesn't just make it easy for her to understand what you want, but also for you to understand what she is trying to tell you and what she wants. It is harder than it sounds. This is because over time, you get to experience a lot together, and it might surprise you how your partner reacts to certain things. Point being that, in order for you both to be happy in the relationship, it is vital that you both understand each other, which can be achieved through efficient communication.
- Trusting your partner: One of the main reasons behind the failure of a lot of relationships is the lack of trust. In order to make your relationship a happy and a successful one, you will have to make your partner feel like you trust them and have confidence in them. This in turn will get you the same from her.
- Being honest about your intentions: This is one of the most significant things that you should be mindful of. Honesty about your intentions and expectations with regards to the relationship and your partner will go a long way in keeping the both of you happy.
- Making time for your partner: Sometimes one gets carried away with all the hustle bustle and the busy flow of life. This results in your partner feeling like they are being taken fore granted and are not cared for. In order to avoid any such situation, you have to actively make time for your partner and make them feel valued.
Love
Being in love with a woman in Uruguay can be a really great experience. Women here believe in being in love and a committed relationship more than meaningless flings and casual hookups. So, if it is love that you are looking for, Uruguay can be a really great place for you. Once you are in live with a woman here and she has the same feelings about you, you don't have to worry about her being unfaithful as women here are completely against that. Not only that, it will be easier for you to be in a committed relationship with a woman from Uruguay because of all the qualities of a loving and reliable that they have.
How to Make Sure She Is the One
Once you've found a nice partner and have been in a relationship with them for a decent amount of time, you might feel like tying the knot with them. This is when this section becomes relevant. Before you take one of the major decisions of your life, you have to make sure that the person you have chosen is the right one to spend your life and build a family with. Most of it is quite subjective and depends on your and your partner's personality. However, there are a few generic things that should be noticed before finalising such an important decision, which are as follows:
First of all, you need to make sure that your partner is with you because she actually loves you and cares for you and not because of other reasons such as your wealth etc. This is very important because you can't expect to lead a happy life with someone who doesn't love you for who you are as a person but rather for all that you can offer her materialistically.
Moving on, you should see if she makes the effort to keep you happy. You have to know that the person you have chosen to spend your life with knows and understands what makes you happy and then makes the effort to achieve that. Someone who is selfish and only cares about being happy themselves all the time does not make a good partner in the longer run.
Finally, you can come to the conclusion about whether or not she is the one if she introduces you to her family. This is important because someone who is serious about spending their lives with you will always introduce you to their family.
Marriage
Under the Civil Code 1995, individuals must be at least 16 years old to marry, and if below 18 years require parental consent to do so. However, 25% of girls in Uruguay are married before the age of 18 and 1% are married before their 15th birthday. Uruguay is also one of the few countries that have legalized same-sex marriages.
Civil marriage is the legally-accepted form of marriage and all marriages need to be registered. To get a marriage registered in Uruguay, the following procedure is followed;
- Go to the Directorate General of Civil Registry office
- Complete an application form
- Submit the required documents
- Pay the fee
The documents required are:
- Divorce certificate/divorce decree (if applicable)
- Death certificate of former spouse (if applicable)
- Under 18, parental to the marriage:
- Birth certificate (if the minor's parents are not married)
- Documentation legalized and translated by an authorized translator if in another language (Legalization of Foreign Documents)
You must have the marriage registered three months before the wedding date. You need four witnesses attending the marriage ceremony.
Wedding
A traditional wedding in Uruguay is a beautiful ceremony with many unique traditions and customs. Like everywhere else, Uruguayan weddings require a bit of planning. After the date for the big day is set and wedding cards sent out, the couple needs to decide on their clothing for the ceremony. While many have adopted the western style of wearing a white wedding gown, some still opt for wearing a traditional black wedding dress. The black dress symbolizes the bride’s devotion to her partner until death.
About half of the Uruguayan population identify as Catholic, so it’s no surprise to find that many weddings take place in a Catholic church. During many ceremonies, especially in a Catholic church, the groom presents the bride with las arras. Las arras is a set of 13 gold coins, and they represent the groom’s commitment to supporting the bride. Within a religious context, they also represent Jesus and the twelve apostles. The priest blesses these coins and the couple exchanges them many times. Traditionally, the gold coins end up with the bride. Modern couples sometimes choose to split the coins between the bride and groom. Rings are an important part of Uruguayan weddings.
In some Uruguayan weddings, the couple will be bound together physically to illustrate their binding together metaphorically as well. The binding makes use of a rosary or white cord, tied around the couple's shoulders. This symbolizes their union.
South American traditional weddings are famous for big, exciting receptions! One cute tradition popular across South America is the cintas de la torta. During this ritual, wedding guests gather around the cake and pull out strings stemming from the cake. Cutesy charms adorn the strings baked into the cake. Attached to one of the strings is a cheap wedding ring. It’s said that whoever ends up pulling the ring is next to get married! Wedding receptions often last all through the night and carry into the morning.
Family Life
In Uruguayan culture, families are interwoven tightly together. The average Uruguayan family has one or two children. It’s common for families to have grandparents living with them at their home. Parents and children tend to have an open relationship in which they discuss their opinions and plans, and the parents usually have the final say. Uruguayan parents seem to always emphasize what their children don’t do, or what they do poorly. It is somewhat normal for Uruguayan children to be lectured. This attitude doesn’t represent a lack of trust or respect. On the contrary, in Uruguayan culture, it is a sign of affection and care. Parental decisions are respected and followed, and parents have the last word in family matters.
Although the typical domestic unit is a nuclear family with one of two children plus the grandparents, extended family networks usually are preserved. Large family reunions are held at least once a year. Authority in the household is divided between the husband and the wife. Many couples live with the parents of the husband or wife, and it is not uncommon for a widowed grandmother to assume the role of a matriarch. Children stay at home until late in life, but older widows and widowers increasingly live alone, to the point where the government has identified old age isolation as a major social and health problem.
Children frequently live in the parental home well into their thirties, in some cases even after marriage, the usual reason for staying at home being an economic necessity, and because of the family-oriented culture prevalent in Uruguay. It is common to see grown children, parents and sometimes grandparents living in the same residence. More than 50% of the homes have four or more people and 17% six or more. Children will typically live with their parents until they get married or until they are well established in their careers. Since unemployment is high and salaries low among the young, moving out is often delayed into the late twenties, or later. That’s why it is so common to see three, four and even five-bedroom apartments in Montevideo.
As a result of the close family ties, there is a stronger involvement of the family in the decisions young adults make. So it is common for parents to meddle in the private lives of adult children. Boyfriends and girlfriends have to be adept at charming the whole family to have a chance. This constant interaction with a large extended family ends up generating strong rules of behavior so everybody can live in relative harmony. Like everywhere else, from early on there is constant training on how to properly greet people, how to interact and to entertain, what is polite and what is not, what is acceptable and what is rude. The difference is that in Uruguay this process continues until you are in your late twenties and never really ends. So the rules are much more uniformly followed by everyone.
Family gatherings typically center on outdoor barbecues (asados), in which large quantities of meat are consumed. Another typical custom, symbolic of family and friendship ties, is the sharing of yerba mate, a form of rustic green tea. A hollowed-out gourd (the mate) or sometimes a china cup is packed almost full with the dry tea leaves. A metal straw is then inserted into the tea, and boiling water is poured on top. The mate is then passed around in a circle, each person adding a little more hot water.
Regions
Atlantic Coast (Cabo Polonio, Chuy, La Paloma, Punta del Diablo, Piriapolis, Punta del Este) great beach resorts fronting the Atlantic and a land crossing to Brazil. |
Rio de la Plata (Montevideo, Colonia) the capital city, old colonial magnificence and a ferry crossing to Argentina |
Northern Interior (Paysandu, Salto, Tacuarembo) Land crossings to Argentina. |
Central Interior] (Durazno) Huge dams on the Rio Negro and land crossings to Brazil |
Cities
- Montevideo - The capital city
- Chuy - Right on the border with Brazil
- Colonia (Colonia del Sacramento) - a well preserved old colonial town and UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Durazno
- La Paloma
- Paysandu
- Piriapolis
- Punta del Este
- Salto
See Also
- North America | Los Angeles | New York City | Toronto | Cancun | Miami
- Caribbean | Barbados | Santo Domingo | Havana | The Bahamas | Saint Lucia
- Central America | Panama City | San José | Belize | Guatemala | Nicaragua