I'm aware that one of the common cultural hazards is figuring out whether you're supposed to kiss, and if so, how many times and which way to go first, when greeting or (caution: incoming Australian gerund) farewelling friends and acquaintances. I didn't think it'd be that big a cultural difference, though, between the U.S. and Australia. While it isn't huge, I have noticed a much greater tendency for Australian friends to greet each other with a hug and one kiss (go left) on the cheek. It's especially true among women, but men sometimes, too.
Although my extended family tends to greet in a similar fashion, very few of my American friends (except, of course, the home-schooled acquaintances) do. Or maybe they do and it's so second nature to me there I never noticed, but I don't think so. Hugging, yes, definitely, but the kiss thing creeps just slightly farther into murky territory than I'm usually prepared to enthusiastically go. I'm okay with accepting the greeting (except with people I don't like, at which times I utterly despise it -- but how in the world can you be polite and refuse? particularly when others are watching?), but it still feels odd to return it.
So there you have it, Australians. I'm not slighting you, I just get skittish when my two feet of personal space bubble pops, you weasels!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
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3 comments:
I think Americans are much less into the "greet one another with a holy kiss" idea than other cultures are. Think of the French and Italians, kissing on both cheeks, for example. In the Women of the World group, there is much more of that kind of greeting than if it would be a Women of the USA group.
Of course, just reading the title of the blog, I wondered if it was referring to dating, but that is another ballgame altogether, with its own protocol and questions.
Go left, huh? I'll have to watch for that phenomenon.
I'm going to have difficulty going back to even America where people shake hands. Touch?? What's that???? We bow!
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