little_tippler

What is the customary way in which people greet each other in your country?

I thought this might be interesting to share because it can vary from country to country.

I thought of this because I know that the customary greeting (between strangers or otherwise) in my country is not the most usual all over the western world. Would be interesting if anyone knows about greetings in other countries too.

So here in Portugal, the customary greeting between strangers is one of two options:

1) 2 kisses, one on each cheek;

this can sometimes be an ‘air’ kiss, or more commonly, just touching cheeks and the kiss sound.

2) a handshake;

This applies only between men and women, and if you are a girl you can almost bet that you’ll have to do #1 every time. In work situations, usually #2 is applied, but sometimes #1 will occur if you are a woman, especially if you have met the person (even if it’s at work) before.

If you are a guy, you go through #1 for women, and #2 for men, only giving kisses to men in your family, usually your father or brothers. Sometimes instead of #2, men who are friends will do the pat-on-the-back-hug.

I know for a fact that between Belgian men who are friends, #1 is customary.

In Finland, #1 is reserved only for close friends and family.

I recall when I was in the US last year, sometimes I forgot the customary handshake and went for the kiss...people always looked at me like I was a bit odd but then accepted it once I explained. I felt a bit silly but I don’t mind.

I quite like the two kisses policy, except when it’s someone I hardly know.

So what is customary where you live?

__________________
Whether we write or speak or do but look
We are ever unapparent. What we are
Cannot be transfused into word or book.
Our soul from us is infinitely far.
However much we give our thoughts the will
To be our soul and gesture it abroad,
Our hearts are incommunicable still.
In what we show ourselves we are ignored.
The abyss from soul to soul cannot be bridged
By any skill of thought or trick of seeming.
Unto our very selves we are abridged
When we would utter to our thought our being.
We are our dreams of ourselves, souls by gleams,
And each to each other dreams of others' dreams.

Fernando Pessoa, 1918