Uruguay seems like a country of traditions, from its rich food to its focus on family.
Modern changes, however, from politics to art, also have helped the country survive and even to propser. For instance, Uruguay attracts tourists and expats who are interested in progressive ideals (gay marriage, marijuana, and abortion are all legal, here), and the Uruguayan audiovisual industry (film, photography, and music) is growing.
Uruguayan friends often say to me that Uruguay is "un país de viejos", or that it's a country of and for old people. What they mean is there often seem to be more elderly people than kids and young adults. This is an accurate perception and is due to a host of reasons: for example, there was a economic crisis at the beginning of this century that forced younger people and families to move away in search of work.
The lack of a youth culture here has led many of my Uruguayan friends to resent current politics, as it seems to cater to the older more than it does to them. After all, these friends argue, why would a country make policies for the past, and not for the generation of the future?
Montevideo, at least, exists in the tension between the old and new. Walking around Ciudad Vieja, or "The Old City", which was founded by explorers, you'll be struck by the constract between colonial-period architecture and graffiti.
