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>>kiss on the cheek Interesting I don't think that I have ever seen that except on TV/movies. (Outside of grandparents and grandchildren) I've always thought

>>kiss on the cheek Interesting I don't think that I have ever seen that except on TV/movies. (Outside of grandparents and grandchildren) I've always thought of hugs involving males as reserved for family and close female friends (or your girl friend/wife’s close female friends). Hug in a business setting.. never! I've also thought handshakes should be as medium strength as possible. I live in the U.S. Great Lakes region/Midwest.

jaimebuelta 13y ago
In Spain (where I come from) that's usual except in the most formal environment when a female is involved (male/female and female/female). For example, the first time I meet my (female) boss (or coworker), I'll give a handshake. Once we have a working relationship, is common to cheek-kiss (twice, starting left, just touching the cheeks, and optionally kissing to the air, doing very obviously and simulating loudly the sound is very posh) If the relationship is close, you can actually kiss the cheek of the other person, but that's optional. If the relationship is very close, you will hug and kiss on the cheek, but just once. On males, if the relationship is close (family or close friends), you'll get the hug and kiss once, though it depends on people. A "casual" handshake and/or hug it's the common for friends. All this complicated ritual is called "kissing", so I guess can be difficult to know when to do what for foreign people, but it gets typically done in a very casual way, so most people won't feel very awkward if they try to kiss and get a handshake or otherwise. Curiously, only a couple of months after I came to Ireland, I met the girlfriend of a coworker, and she introduces herself with a handshake. I shake her hand, and then said: "Oh, I'm too new here, I almost kiss you". Just as the words escaped my mouth I got how weird that sounds (the look on her face was also funny). I didn't talk to her on the rest of the night or try to explain myself. Too embarrassing :-D (I've talked to her later, so I don't think there's bad feelings involved or anything)

jaimebuelta 13y ago

In Spain (where I come from) that's usual except in the most formal environment when a female is involved (male/female and female/female). For example, the first time I meet my (female) boss (or coworker), I'll give a handshake. Once we have a working relationship, is common to cheek-kiss (twice, starting left, just touching the cheeks, and optionally kissing to the air, doing very obviously and simulating loudly the sound is very posh) If the relationship is close, you can actually kiss the cheek of the other person, but that's optional. If the relationship is very close, you will hug and kiss on the cheek, but just once. On males, if the relationship is close (family or close friends), you'll get the hug and kiss once, though it depends on people. A "casual" handshake and/or hug it's the common for friends. All this complicated ritual is called "kissing", so I guess can be difficult to know when to do what for foreign people, but it gets typically done in a very casual way, so most people won't feel very awkward if they try to kiss and get a handshake or otherwise. Curiously, only a couple of months after I came to Ireland, I met the girlfriend of a coworker, and she introduces herself with a handshake. I shake her hand, and then said: "Oh, I'm too new here, I almost kiss you". Just as the words escaped my mouth I got how weird that sounds (the look on her face was also funny). I didn't talk to her on the rest of the night or try to explain myself. Too embarrassing :-D (I've talked to her later, so I don't think there's bad feelings involved or anything)