Greeting kiss which cheek first

There are many more ways to say kiss in French. There are situations where you can greet friends of friends, acquaintances and even co-workers with a cheek kiss but watch out. There are certain unsaid rules and nuances that can vary by region, person or by situation. La Garde is a charmingly picturesque town in Provence pictured above. Old ladies carrying baguettes, a medieval church, a decaying castle at the top of a hill, and where everyone seems to know everyone else.

Not like bigger cities that attract large amounts of people from all over the world, which suited us just fine. Every morning, my husband I got dressed and eagerly walked our daughter to school. It was less than a 5-minute walk, but we lived in the medieval part of the town, where people always seemed to be shuffling around trying to get someplace.

On the market days, we would double back to the market after we dropped off our daughter at school and buy produce, meat, cheese or whatever we needed. It was super convenient, and soon people started recognizing us. We became good friends with one of the vendors who sold plants and flowers. He sells shiitake mushrooms and strawberries now at La Serre du Plan.

Sometimes we would cross paths with our neighbours or other parents at that market and stop to chat a while before continuing on our merry way. I had seen hundreds of people greet each other with a cheek kiss , so theoretically, I understood how it was done. In practice, it was another story.

I leaned in a little too quickly, with more force than I intended, and my cheek crashed into hers. After that first French cheek kiss greeting, I had so many questions.

Avoiding Culture Shock! A kiss between two men, though more rare, does occur in places like Argentina, Serbia, and Southern Italy. Those specific pitfalls aside, Scott encourages travelers to engage, even at the risk of committing a faux pas:. Going through the ritual and getting it wrong is, to some extent, more important than avoiding it all together. Last spring, my wife grazed lips with a co-worker.

In Europe on business, she sounded a bit shaken when I called to check in. Topics intel. Sign Up. Travel Guides. Videos Beyond Hollywood Hungerlust Pioneers of love. Jade Cuttle. Give us feedback.

Back Topics. Here are a few tips on how to cheek-kiss properly: 1. Know how many kisses This is where it can get a little tricky. Study abroad with EF Learn more. Share this article. Latest articles from Culture. How to help a student with homesickness: 7 tips for host families. Call us: Request brochure.