> Also as I found out it’s really bad manners to stir the spoon / straw thing. It is as it ruins the experience. The "bomba" (Portuguese), or "bombilla" (Spani

> Also as I found out it’s really bad manners to stir the spoon / straw thing. It is as it ruins the experience. The "bomba" (Portuguese), or "bombilla" (Spanish) (the straw) is generally placed in a way that tries to ensure a smooth flow. Moving it means the leaves near the bottom of the "cuia" (Portuguese), or "mate" (Spanish) (the gourd, or cup), potentially blocking the flow of water. That ruins the experience for everybody in the circle.