When the sun goes down in the Spanish town of Algar, people gather on chairs outside their doorsteps to catch up with friends and relatives. In the past, people would enjoy these “alfresco chats” after a long day of working in the fields to cool off on hot evenings since they didn’t have air-conditioning. These gatherings became a tradition, and many townspeople would use the same chairs for years, some of which are now more than 50 years old.
In recent years, the tradition has been waning as people have become increasingly absorbed by social media and have stayed home due to the pandemic.
Hoping to share more quality time, recover their roots and ultimately have the outdoor gatherings recognized by Unesco, many are encouraging others to return to the streets and get back to socialising in person again.
I – Word Understanding
Catch-up – to talk to someone to know what they have been doing
Waning – decreasing; slowly becoming less common
II – Have Your Say
1, What are the traditional ways of socializing and catching up with friends and relatives in your country? How would you compare them to modern social activities?
2, How did you cope up during the pandemic? What were the changes in your social life? Which changes do you want to keep and what are the things you want to get back to now that the situation has improved?
3, What is the importance of social activities for you?
