I just wonder; some foreigners kiss each other on the cheeks when they meet … and some don’t. I believe it might be common for French people to “say hello” like this , but I often see foreigners from other places to do it… which they would probably never do in their home country.
Most of times, I think it’s embarassing when some guy tries to kiss me …
So - how do you greet each other - Shake hands? Cheek kissing? Or the full monty???
When in Rome, do a Roman…errr…I mean, do as the Romans do.
In Holland, I do the standard 3 kiss greet. In France, it’s the 2 kiss greet. In Greece, it’s 2 kiss follow by a big hug. In Russia, it’s just a big choking hug. In Japan, it’s the continous bowing. In the States, it’s the finger (just kidding).
So what’s the big deal? At least the guy’s not aiming at your lips and shoving his tongue down your throat WHILE doing the full monty? You can always say “no, I’m too (insert nationality) for that! Can’t we just shake hands with rubber gloves on?”
I thought it was just brushing of cheeks, you mean I was supposed to open my mouth and tongue wrestle.
Kissing in public? Don’t do it. It’s as dirty as penguin lust. Unless you’re in a public park in Taiwan after 8 pm, then of course feel free to take off your clothes and do a dry hump, but no kissing.
In Zurich its the 3 kiss greet as well, but I would never do that to a Taiwanese. They’d be shocked. I do hug some real good Taiwanese friends here though…
My Taiwanese boyfriend got kissed by a guy ones and was totally disgusted. He swore never to go out with him again…well, I just told him not to kiss anymore and my boyfriend keeps the distance…they’re still friends…=)
Back in NZ it’s the standard handshake. When I first met an Italian who tried that European cheek-kissing thing, I was somewhat taken aback to say the least. Thank Christ it wasn’t a guy trying it on, I’d probably have hit him by reflex.
I happen to know that the visiting Orthodox bishop of Hong Kong gave orders that the church here was to stop exchanging the kiss of peace, and just exchange peace. Church full of Greeks and Russians, you understand, so the potential for scaring away Chinese converts was considerable.
My sister’s french inlaws do the cheek kissing think, but you brush your cheek, you don’t kiss.
Cultures, vultures … There was this japanese exchange student coming to Brazil… the host family’s son welcomed her in the traditional Brazilian way - with kisses on the cheek. she hit him hard for that…