The greetings are endless here.
I`m honestly still figuring them out while desperately trying not to be rude.
A hello is generally a hand shake with a kiss on the cheek (I have to work hard to keep my right hand and right cheek smooth while I`m here), but that sort -of depends too. Generally the 1st time you meet someone it should just be a hand shake, but not with everyone... some people are so excited to meet me they want to hug & kiss right away. See how this can be confusing? I know I`ve screwed it up a lot, but I just laugh about it.
Then when you enter a room generally you should walk up to each person individually and greet them. I`m definitely still getting used to this. I often forget. 1/2 hour later I`ll realize it and feel a little rude. Again this isn´t always expected.
Conversations will stop to greet a new person to the room and then continue after everyone says hello. This can be difficult for me since I OFTEN lose my train of thought in regular conversation-add in another language and constant breaks from greeting everyone and my brain is chuggin.
This also happens when anyone leaves.
Handshake, kiss on the cheek.
Also you basically never introduce yourself. Someone else needs to introduce you. I have introduced myself too (and yes i get strange looks... oh well).
I love the warmth & welcoming from everyone, but I know that it will take me awhile to fully know the rules.
If ever.
--------------------------------------------------------
other side notes:
i really only get on the internet every few days so if you feel like it takes me forever to respond to you, that`s why. i promise i`m ok though, just busy.
some of my favorite quotes from the ninos:
-Tuesday Dante showed up wearing a Rams coat. I got all excited and attempted to explain that they play where I`m from. The real funny story is that some days his parents fix his hair in a bit of a mohawk so one of the other kids attempted to put his hood on & Dante says (irritated) "Don`t mess up my hair." Yes 4 years old.
-(at recess) Murat hit Alphonso and he was crying (Alphonso cries a lot) and a 5 year old came up to him and said "Who hit you my friend?"
-Today we played some music before recess and let`s be honest... you can`t play music with me around without me dancing at least a little bit. So I started dancing with one boy who looked left-out & before I knew it there was a big group who wanted to dance with me so we made a big circle. If it takes 4 year olds to make me feel cool, I`ll take it. =)
I`m pretty sure I`m running the marathon in two weeks. Caro`s going to run the half. I`m trying really hard not to set any goals (I haven`t been able to run AT ALL in the last two weeks). I think it will be lots of fun and I can not WAIT to stretch my legs out again for a long period of time. It should be interesting with the weather because we`re in the rainy season so it rains everyday for a couple hours. at least.
I`m honestly still figuring them out while desperately trying not to be rude.
A hello is generally a hand shake with a kiss on the cheek (I have to work hard to keep my right hand and right cheek smooth while I`m here), but that sort -of depends too. Generally the 1st time you meet someone it should just be a hand shake, but not with everyone... some people are so excited to meet me they want to hug & kiss right away. See how this can be confusing? I know I`ve screwed it up a lot, but I just laugh about it.
Then when you enter a room generally you should walk up to each person individually and greet them. I`m definitely still getting used to this. I often forget. 1/2 hour later I`ll realize it and feel a little rude. Again this isn´t always expected.
Conversations will stop to greet a new person to the room and then continue after everyone says hello. This can be difficult for me since I OFTEN lose my train of thought in regular conversation-add in another language and constant breaks from greeting everyone and my brain is chuggin.
This also happens when anyone leaves.
Handshake, kiss on the cheek.
Also you basically never introduce yourself. Someone else needs to introduce you. I have introduced myself too (and yes i get strange looks... oh well).
I love the warmth & welcoming from everyone, but I know that it will take me awhile to fully know the rules.
If ever.
--------------------------------------------------------
other side notes:
i really only get on the internet every few days so if you feel like it takes me forever to respond to you, that`s why. i promise i`m ok though, just busy.
some of my favorite quotes from the ninos:
-Tuesday Dante showed up wearing a Rams coat. I got all excited and attempted to explain that they play where I`m from. The real funny story is that some days his parents fix his hair in a bit of a mohawk so one of the other kids attempted to put his hood on & Dante says (irritated) "Don`t mess up my hair." Yes 4 years old.
-(at recess) Murat hit Alphonso and he was crying (Alphonso cries a lot) and a 5 year old came up to him and said "Who hit you my friend?"
-Today we played some music before recess and let`s be honest... you can`t play music with me around without me dancing at least a little bit. So I started dancing with one boy who looked left-out & before I knew it there was a big group who wanted to dance with me so we made a big circle. If it takes 4 year olds to make me feel cool, I`ll take it. =)
I`m pretty sure I`m running the marathon in two weeks. Caro`s going to run the half. I`m trying really hard not to set any goals (I haven`t been able to run AT ALL in the last two weeks). I think it will be lots of fun and I can not WAIT to stretch my legs out again for a long period of time. It should be interesting with the weather because we`re in the rainy season so it rains everyday for a couple hours. at least.
ahhh the greetings thing made me laugh because thats EXACTLY how it is with lebanese people except its 3 kisses (switching cheeks each kiss haha)
ReplyDeleteso say i walk into a room full of adults that are in mid conversation - if they follow tradition, everyone stops talking, stands, and i greet everyone individually - its really crazy - and when you say goodbye, its the same exact thing which is why it takes lebanese people so long to leave a place - they have to say bye to everyone and then it ends up being a whole other conversation.
my generation is the same - even if im saying hi to tania or mauni, we still kiss eachother 3 times and some kids my age dont want to do that and just want to hug so it gets awkward because you never know what to do.
ive had adults who kiss the wrong way. you're supposed to go left right left - some adults wanna go right left right and THATS awkward and you have to swerve to avoid something really inappropriate.
either way, you'll get used to it eventually but it does take time. good luck!!! i know you're doing great :)
Hi hi Lisa Risa! ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear things are going well and you're slowly adjusting. Happy to hear you decided to do the marathon, but be careful and take it easy if you haven't been training... stop and smell the roses so to speak to give your body time to adjust to grueling task of a MARATHON of all things.
Glad the kids are treating you right and before you know it, you'll be fluent in spanish!
Miss you! ~AJ