[Discussion] Body Contact in your country

[anachronistic]

Why do they kiss each other in Portugal? That does not make sense to me.

[Tedel]

In Peru, things are like in Portugal.

[okapa]

I don't know why, but if you're 20 and you meet a woman you don't offer a handshake, that would come off as weird unless in very formal circunstances.

[FoxyLaydee]

Where I am from :

When greeting friends (men & women) - kiss on both cheeks and a hug,

It depends on how you were raised. My parents are fine with my kissing men on both cheeks but if my relatives (father's side) were to see that - their eyes will bulge out, I kid you not!

When greeting parents/parents' friends/older people - a handshake

[lovesjoyajm]

From an American college perspective:
I hug my friends, male and female. (Although a few of my very good friends and kind of anti-body-contact so we hug very rarely.) My best friend and I kiss on the cheek/forehead/occasionally lips if we're trying to freak people out.
When I meet someone I usually shake their hand.

In my family I've always kissed my relatives on the lips, at least my parents and grandparents, but I'm now starting to realize that's really weird and go for the cheek kiss.

I met a French Canadian in Berlin and he did the double cheek kiss. The first time he tried to do it with me, I thought I was supposed to part of this instead of just standing there while he kissed my cheeks, so I ended up accidentally kissing him on the lips. It was super awkward and we didn't try it again until over a year later.

[okapa]

You kiss your bestfriend in the lips? Are you male or female? Is your bestfriend a he or a she?

I've seen mothers around here kiss their children in the lips as they are small, but stop it as they grow.

[lovesjoyajm]

You kiss your bestfriend in the lips? Are you male or female? Is your bestfriend a he or a she?

I've seen mothers around here kiss their children in the lips as they are small, but stop it as they grow.

We're both girls.

[anachronistic]

olala, so süß.

[kevin_doank]

In Asia, I guess the more common is a firm handshake....the most extend to a buddy hug...

Asian too narrow minded for kisses....

I saw a Belgium tourist the other day and she goes around gretting people with cheek kiss...

Ha..the asian were like " WTF"...

Kissing left right cheeks among South East asian women are common.
Sometimes, it happens as well among men.

I saw once, a western male tourist coming to Asian country. He talked to me that he faced difficulty when his hugging habit to friend ended up awkwardly when He tried to kiss a woman's cheek in front of her husband. Hahahaha. I wish I did the opposite in his country

[kevin_doank]

Where I am from :

When greeting friends (men & women) - kiss on both cheeks and a hug,

It depends on how you were raised. My parents are fine with my kissing men on both cheeks but if my relatives (father's side) were to see that - their eyes will bulge out, I kid you not!

When greeting parents/parents' friends/older people - a handshake

yeah.....handshaking is more than enough i guess.. . (Valid internationally... right?)

[FoxyLaydee]

yeah.....handshaking is more than enough i guess.. . (Valid internationally... right?)

It's valid alright!

[Sweeney]

I met a French Canadian in Berlin and he did the double cheek kiss. The first time he tried to do it with me, I thought I was supposed to part of this instead of just standing there while he kissed my cheeks, so I ended up accidentally kissing him on the lips. It was super awkward and we didn't try it again until over a year later.

Heh, we even give three kisses on the cheeks here in the Netherlands. But that's only for family and close friends really. When meeting formaly, it's just shaking hands. At work more can be tolerated though, totally depending on the individuals.

[okapa]

I went to Ireland for 4 days and I was amazed by the locals.

People are so nice! They talk to you everywhere you go.

I couldn't even tell if girls were talking to me out of nowhere for interest or just for fun.

You enter a room and someone invites you to have a drink right away, like if they are your friends or something.

Amazing man, if it wasn't so cold I'd love to live there.

[Sweeney]

I went to Ireland for 4 days and I was amazed by the locals.

People are so nice! They talk to you everywhere you go.

I couldn't even tell if girls were talking to me out of nowhere for interest or just for fun.

You enter a room and someone invites you to have a drink right away, like if they are your friends or something.

Amazing man, if it wasn't so cold I'd love to live there.

Totally agreed... First time I went to Ireland, I walked into a pub on my first night there. And within 5 minutes I had a Guinness standing in front of me, from the people hanging around the bar, who where amazingly friendly. Really nice folks

[okapa]

I could do an Eramus there, I really loved the people : )