Every one here in this world has some routine that they do in their own country, its either waking up and saying good morning to your parents or taking off your hat as soon as you walk in the house to show some respect. Well about two months ago my cousins from Ecuador had came to New York. Whenever they come over, my parents made food for everyone. When my parents are done serving it in plates, we all sit in the table and of course we wait until everyone sits, we stay quiet and choose whose going to pray but usually my three year old cousin does the praying.(Its so adorable) My family has this routine or however you want to call it to pray before we eat, it either you praying by yourself or doing in a whole group. We all do these to have some consideration on the person who made the food and God who is the most important. I remember when we were all together, we were getting to eat, just because I took a piece of bread, I got the attention of my little cousin, she's like "Did you pray". There's not a day when we do not pray for our food. Its just to thank God that we have food in our table which some people out there that are starving with no food at all.
         We also have to say "bendicion" which is to give us our blessing, we say it either when we say hi in the morning or before we leave somewhere. It's something called having respect for the one who raised us our whole entire lives. My parents get mad when i don't say it in the morning, they be like (why u didn't say "bendicion"). Its a big deal for them.