Happy New Year! Wherever you celebrated the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, I am sure that some hugging or kissing was involved. This traditional celebration made me think about the differences between Americans and Australians when it comes to greeting one another.
Australians generally greet friends with a kiss on the cheek. Sometimes they might use a kiss on each cheek, particularly if their family is of Italian descent. At first this was strange for us to get used to, but now we have embraced it and I, in particular, like the extra affection shown to others!
American friends will occasionally greet eachother with kisses, but more often than not it is hugs and handshakes that are used to say hello and goodbye. This difference became very evident to me when I was traveling back to the States in June. I was seated next to two Aussie blokes who were headed to a conference in the States. They had a booklet containing instructions for their week detailing where they were staying, where they should eat, and general things about visiting the US. One of those things pertained to greeting people, and it said "Americans like their personal space. When greeting someone, a handshake will be sufficient." At that point I recognized that I liked the affection of our new culture and starting wondering if Americans have it wrong. Would people be happier if we showed a little more love to each other in the States? Just a curious observation that I wasted to share with you to start this brand new year. Best wishes for a fantastic 2014!
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