GREETINGS
BELIZE Press fists together. (Make a fist. Look for another person with the same. When
you see someone doing the same thing, press your fists together.)
JAPAN Bow from the waist. Look for another person that is doing the same.
RUSSIA Kiss three times, on alternate cheeks...left, right, left. This is an old tradition.
(Just kiss in the air and look for someone who is doing the same.)
EGYPT Kiss three times, on alternate cheeks...left, right, left. (Just kiss in the air and
look for someone who is doing the same.)
ITALY Kiss on cheek 4 times -- 2 on the left and 2 on the right. (Just kiss in the air and
look for someone that is doing the same.)
Note: Michele Bondesan from Italy informs us with this statement: "I'm an Italian boy and I would like to
inform you that what you say about kissing in Italy is uncorrect. I've never seen any Italian people kissing
four times: usually we kiss twice or, more recently, three times (young people mostly kiss three times)."
NEW ZEALAND (Maori) when the Maori people greet each other, they press their
noses together. This custom is called hongi. (Find your partner by pressing your nose in
the air...figure out a way to do this.)
BOLIVIA The Aymara women in Bolivia says hello to a friend with a tip of her bowler
hat. (Tip your hat to find your partner who is doing the same.)
ECUADOR An Ecuadorian woman greets her friend with medio abrazo ("half embrace")
-- like a partial hug. (Extend your left arm out to the left and look for a person who is
extending the right arm.)
MEXICO One kiss on the cheek. (Kiss in the air to the left or right)
U.S. Businessmen (women) usually shake hands when meeting each other. (do a hand
shake with your right hand to find your partner.)
SOUTH AFRICA The Zulu of South Africa say, "Sakubona" when greeting friends.
(Say Sakubona to find your partner.)
ITALY In Italy, friends greet each other by saying, "Ciao." (Say Ciao to find your
partner.)
FIJI Men are expected to say "oooo" when greeting their chief. (To find your chief say,
"oooo.")
AFGHANISTAN It is traditional for women to be more reserved in their greetings than
men. When meeting a stranger, a man will say "manda na bashi." (May you not be tired.)
A Ghilzai woman will raise her hand to cover her mouth. (To find your partner, put your
hand over your mouth. Your partner will be saying manda na bashi.
U.S. and EUROPE The High-fives originated among American college basketball
players in the early 1980s. It soon spread to other sports and became fashionable among
young people. (To find your partner, raise your hand to show your high-fives.)
ZAMBIA To find your partner, nod, slightly bend knees, and shake hands, right hand
extended, with left hand under right elbow.
PORTUGAL Bom dia means "hello" in Portuguese. (Say bom dia to find your partner.)
GHANA Ming-gah-bou, Ga means "hello" in Ghana. (Say Ming-gah-bou, Ga to find
your partner.)
ISRAEL Shalom means hello in Hebrew. (Say Shalom to find your partner.)
CHINA Some people in China just say Ni-hao-ma which means "How are you?" (Say
Ni-hao-ma to find your partner.)
TURKEY Merhaba means "hello." (Say Merhaba to find your partner.)
U.S. MILITARY CADET Salute to find your partner
MADAGASCAR People used to greet nobles by saying Tsara Va?, which meant are you
well? (To find your partner say Tsara Va?)
FRANCE In France, people say Bon jour (Good day) during the day and Bon soir (good
evening) in the evening. (Say Bon jour to find your partner.)
SOUTH AFRICA The Afikaners of South Africa say "Goeie more" in the morning,
"Goeie middag' in the afternoon, and "Goeie naand" in the evening. (to find your partner,
say the appropriate greeting.)
CYPRUS Telephone greeting: In Cyprus, people answer the phone with "Ano" ("Yes").
To find your partner, ring your phone and listen for "Ano."
CZECH REPUBLIC Telephone greeting: In Czech Republic, people answer the phone
with "Prosim:" ("Ready"). To find your partner, listen for a phone ring and say, "Prosim."
GERMANY Telephone greeting: In Germany, people answer the phone by saying their
last name. To find your partner, listen for a phone ring and say your last name.
GREECE In the exotic Greek language, "Kalimera" (Good morning) is said. (To find
your partner, say "Kalimera."
VIETNAM Hello in Vietnamese is different depending on whom you are addressing. To
an older man it is "Chao ong." To an older woman it is "Chao da." To a younger man it is
"Chao anh." To a younger woman it is "Chau co." To small children it is "Chao chau." (to
find your partner, use an appropriate greeting. you probably have to try different
greetings.)
VIETNAM Since "hello" in Vietnamese varies depending on whom you are addressing,
say, "Bach co khoe khong?" (how are you?) to find your partner.
GREETINGS!
Purpose:
The way people greet each other is seen in every place, whether it's a village,
town, city, or country. Greetings are universal, some being very unique. Some people
wave, others shake hands, bow, or hug each other. Some have no distinctions between a
friend or someone they meet for business - they say the same greeting. Others make that
distinction and have different wordings for different "levels" of people. Sometimes, not
knowing the etiquette in one culture may be bad manners in another. The intent of this
lesson is to use the greetings as a way to introduce students to a variety of cultures.
