World Foods and Etiquette

History

In the earlier days of Venezuela, when it was colonized by the Spanish, nothing really happened. There weren’t many minerals, and there wasn’t much room to farm. Venezuela was an important entrance to the continent, and it was one of the first places early explorers landed when they arrived at the continent. After Venezuela gained its independence from Spain, they continued as most countries do, slowly building themselves up. After World War II, oil was discovered which  made Venezuela much less dependent on agriculture and the country could start developing.

Food and Culture

Venezuela is a fairly Spanish-influenced country, with there being a variety of meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables used in everyday cooking. Meals in Venezuela consist of large breakfasts and dinners (what we would call lunch), and lighter suppers. Because much of Venezuela is a rainforest, fruits and fruit juices are very popular during any meal. Smaller game animals, domestic animals, and poultry are common meats one may expect to find in Venezuelan food. One popular drink, “chicha,” consists of ground rice, salt, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla, and ice. Since the country isn’t as diverse as many other countries in South America, many of the dishes one would find are traditionally Latin and Spanish.

Etiquette

Even though the country isn’t as culturally diverse as others, the etiquette of Venezuela is very interesting. For business meetings, a kiss on one cheek is customary. When greeting personal friends, kissing twice on the cheek is polite. Much of Venezuelan etiquette is similar to Argentina’s, where arriving later to events is a good thing. VIP’s and celebrities arrive much later in order to “make an entrance.” Body language is also important in Venezuelan culture in order to blend in. The people of Venezuela are very fluid with their motions.

Geography and Agriculture

As mentioned earlier, much of Venezuela is covered in tropical rainforest. Therefore, a lot of fruit and other plants are grown there. Game animals are also a large part of the food culture in Venezuela. To go along with the country’s hot climate, the food in Venezuela is mostly warm, homey foods.