In Latin America during medieval times, when a man liked a woman, he would gather a few of his closest friends by her window and serenade her with song during the twilight hours.

If the feeling were requited, she would throw down a ribbon to him with a love note embroidered on it. The lucky man would then proudly display the ribbon on his outfit for everyone to see.

Although the courting tradition itself may not have survived the test of time, the music and rituals are alive today in the traditional music and dance groups, also known as tunas.

The Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico (IAUPR) welcomed Semester at Sea (SAS) participants on Jan. 23 for a reception, and the highlight of the evening was a performance by IAUPR's very own tuna, Tuna Universitaria.

IAUPR's Tuna Universitaria consisted of about 30 students who love to study and replicate the art of medieval dance. The group functions as a tribute to the tunas that came before them.

The IAUPR tuna is a student group created for those who lack the financial resources to pay for their education. There are about 20 different tunas in universities throughout Puerto Rico, and they are also found at universities across Latin America and Europe.

As I entered the reception with about 100 SAS students, about 50 eager IAUPR students greeted us. I walked up to the group of students, and they introduced themselves to me, each even more eager than the last to make a new friend.

From the first minute of interacting with the locals, the differences between their culture and mine were glaring. Rather than expecting tourists to assimilate to their culture and traditions as Americans often do, Puerto Ricans warmly welcomed visitors with an interest in learning more about the area's rich cultural history.

Introducing myself to a few more of the natives proved to be a bit of a challenge. I tried talking to two Puerto Rican girls once we all sat down, and as I continued speaking English, I noticed they both were puzzled. I was under the impression that because Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory most people there spoke English, but many do not.

I was seated between two people with whom I could not communicate. Fortunately one of my SAS friends knew a little Spanish and we were all then able to talk.

Our conversation was similar to one I would have when meeting someone at home. We talked about where we were from, where we were going, our general interests and what we knew about each other's cultures.

After talking with my new friends and a formal introduction to the university, Tuna Universitaria took the stage.

A burst of sound filled the room as the group began to perform one of the liveliest tuna songs, "Seis Chorreao." The singers belted out beautiful Spanish lyrics while the instrumental section, consisting of an accordion and guitar, created a vivacious melody. The beat was so infectious that even the SAS students started doing the salsa.

Head tuna member, or tuno, Carmen Velez performed in the front of the group and immediately caught my eye with her elaborate costume.

"I am here five years in tuna," Velez said, in broken English. She pointed to her uniform, and unlike the rest of the counterparts, hers was brightly colored and covered with patches and ribbons. Behind me, another member of the group, Joseph Sostre, 25, a popular music and finance major, joined to our conversation. While his uniform had a few pins and patches, he did not have quite as many as Velez, the tuno.

"It works like a frat, which is weird," Sostre said. "To become a tuno, you have to go through a long process -- it's been like that since medieval times."

Sostre has been with the group for 3-and-a-half years, but is still earning ribbons and patches with each festival and rehearsal he attends. The tuna festivals occur throughout the Latin America and around the world, and he said the group has recently competed in Miami, Venezuela, Chili, Spain and Portugal. Sostre emphasized the group's presence in Portugal.

"Last year in Portugal we won best instrumental and best tuna overall," Sostre said. He then put his arm around Velez, who is also the group's esteemed soprano soloist. "We won best solo," he said, smiling at her. Sostre then took me by the hand to further explain the history of tunas.

"...I want to show you pictures of Portugal in the office," Sostre said, as he took me into a room filled with trophies, sheet music, instruments and costumes.

Sostre and Velez each picked up a pile of pictures and were thrilled to relive their experience in Portugal through showing me the pictures -- of the tuna performing and the friends they met from other tunas around the world. The closeness of the tuna groups impressed me, and I found it difficult to think of an American organization or group that shares this tight bond.

Velez said it was the camaraderie of the students involved in tunas throughout the world that made the experience so fulfilling.

"They give us ribbons as proof that we were there," Velez said, as she revealed an array of long ribbons attached to the back of her black uniform that featured nearly every color imaginable.

Velez said the tuna uniform reflects a deep-seeded tradition that evolved during medieval times.

"The first tuna ever came from Santiago de Compostela in Spain," Velez said. "They were begging for food, that's why they perform. They would always carry a spoon and perform in exchange for food." Velez pointed to three tea-sized silver spoons attached to her uniform.

I found this part particularly interesting because it wasn't a custom that I had heard of before then. While it was somewhat disheartening to hear at first, I thought more about it and realized how amazing it is that these people honor their heritage the way they do.

The three of us continued talking about the group's travels.

"This year we're going back to Portugal," Sostre said, after he finished showing me another stack of pictures. "And we're expecting an invitation from Penn State, too."