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cheek kissing

post #1 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:12pm
Thread Starter 
from california moved to texas not to long ago, this is place is so damn polite its crazy. any who everytime i meet people the majority of the people do a cheek kiss at first i felt so weird like ugh!! what is this but now ive grown use to it an considering adding it to when i meet people is it weird what are your thoughts on it. an i kno most americans dont cheek kiss but i live on an army base so its a mixture of everything
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post #2 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:13pm
I think it's a very nice welcoming gesture.
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post #3 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:33pm
It is extremely common in Italy, so no problem for me. Which side do you start from? In Italy we start from our right (ie move
our cheek to the right first), but I've noticed other countries use different systems.

cacio
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post #4 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:36pm
If anyone tried this in my neighbourhood you would get your lights punched out.lol
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post #5 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:43pm
  • del
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Chef Gordon Ramsay does this in his Kitchen Nightmare show.
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post #6 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:47pm
In my country, it is practiced on a wide scale (must be the, at least partly, Latin origins), but most expats originating from my country and settling down in the more Northern parts of Europe or the US have no difficulty to give it up and only practice it among close friends.

Other European countries with a strong Latin background, like France or Italy don't seem to have a problem with it either.
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post #7 of 26
10/13/12 at 12:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

If anyone tried this in my neighbourhood you would get your lights punched out.lol

thats not very nice

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Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

It is extremely common in Italy, so no problem for me. Which side do you start from? In Italy we start from our right (ie move
our cheek to the right first), but I've noticed other countries use different systems.

cacio

didnt put much thought on that usually whatever side from hug you happen to land on lol

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Quote:
Originally Posted by del View Post

Chef Gordon Ramsay does this in his Kitchen Nightmare show.

ive been addicted to this show as of late

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_Russell View Post

In my country, it is practiced on a wide scale (must be the, at least partly, Latin origins), but most expats originating from my country and settling down in the more Northern parts of Europe or the US have no difficulty to give it up and only practice it among close friends.

Other European countries with a strong Latin background, like France or Italy don't seem to have a problem with it either.

i must move to europe!
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post #8 of 26
10/13/12 at 2:08pm
I spent the last 2 years in France and this is one of the customs I miss. Shame I can't kiss 20 different women a day in Canada.

From a conversation I had while I was there, the classical dab of perfume behind each ear stems from this tradition.
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post #9 of 26
10/13/12 at 2:11pm
Hmmmm That's weird because I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and no one ever kissed my cheek as a greeting. Close friends or family members usually greeted each other with hugs though.
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post #10 of 26
10/13/12 at 2:42pm
It is very common in other countries: Italy, many parts of Latin/Central/South America. Don't be bothered by it. It is a warm expression of welcome, kindness.
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post #11 of 26
10/13/12 at 3:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beach Girl View Post

Hmmmm That's weird because I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and no one ever kissed my cheek as a greeting. Close friends or family members usually greeted each other with hugs though.

thats hows it been
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post #12 of 26
10/13/12 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lasta View Post

I spent the last 2 years in France and this is one of the customs I miss. Shame I can't kiss 20 different women a day in Canada.

From a conversation I had while I was there, the classical dab of perfume behind each ear stems from this tradition.

My husband is Quebecois and says that the kiss thing is customary up there. He hates it btw lol. Are you on the non-French side?

At Jack Hunter, LOL. Haha.
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post #13 of 26
10/13/12 at 7:53pm
Once in Oklahoma an older French man that I was introduced to kissed me on both cheeks. Mentally I freaked out but tried to remain calm, so I can somewhat relate to what you are feeling. All I can say is, go with the flow...strange, Killeen, Texas of all places....weird.
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post #14 of 26
10/13/12 at 9:26pm
I kiss. Used to freak people out -- more like crossing the boundaries of their conventional paradigm of behavior here and , perhaps, even saying more about my emotional needs than theirs -- but now they got used to it. However, I kiss less, being very selective at that. Getting older I think.
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post #15 of 26
10/13/12 at 9:40pm
I prefer a handshake and, occasionally, grasping the shoulder with the free hand for men, and a hug, at times, for women that I know.
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post #16 of 26
10/13/12 at 11:14pm
Most other nations cheek kiss. It's just us (Americans) who typically avoid anything more than a hand shake.
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post #17 of 26
10/14/12 at 3:36pm
I am extremely affectionate, always kissing and hugging my friends and acquaintances. People here in Virginia are not quite so warm but they are getting used to me. Too bad, they're getting kisses anyway! I NEED to do it! I suppose I am this way from having lived in NY for so many years.
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post #18 of 26
10/15/12 at 2:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJ View Post

Most other nations cheek kiss. It's just us (Americans) who typically avoid anything more than a hand shake.

Yeah most other places kiss. I think the US (sans some French areas of the south) , Scandinavia and Germanic countries (UK, Germany, Scandinavia) and far east Asia. Haven't seen the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese kiss.
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post #19 of 26
10/15/12 at 2:33am
I only kiss female friends, and only the attractive ones. Not a fan of foreign visitors forcing their double cheek kissing, somewhat needy customs on me tbh.
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post #20 of 26
10/15/12 at 3:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rüssel View Post

i only kiss female friends, and only the attractive ones...

lolz
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post #21 of 26
10/15/12 at 5:14am
Mexicans and other latin americans do it among friends and family. The French more, and on both sides, but it's not really a kiss. You just kind of bring the cheeks close and air kiss. At least that's my experience.
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post #22 of 26
10/15/12 at 9:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lasta View Post

I spent the last 2 years in France and this is one of the customs I miss. Shame I can't kiss 20 different women a day in Canada.

Hi, Eau Canada, good to meet you! Anyway, I like to hug and give a kiss, and many of the people I come across just aren't used to it. The hugs - yes, to quite a degree, but when I add the kiss, half the time they're pulling away and I end up kissing the bottom corner of their right ear. They just aren't expecting it. I do it anyway, not to everyone - but with people I know and like.
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post #23 of 26
10/15/12 at 7:18pm
Thread Starter 
iv decided not to do it
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post #24 of 26
10/15/12 at 8:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilybelle View Post

I am extremely affectionate, always kissing and hugging my friends and acquaintances. People here in Virginia are not quite so warm but they are getting used to me. Too bad, they're getting kisses anyway! I NEED to do it! I suppose I am this way from having lived in NY for so many years.

+1 on that, i do it, whether they are comfortable with it or not, it is who i am.
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post #25 of 26
10/16/12 at 6:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by IngaMi View Post

Hi, Eau Canada, good to meet you! Anyway, I like to hug and give a kiss, and many of the people I come across just aren't used to it. The hugs - yes, to quite a degree, but when I add the kiss, half the time they're pulling away and I end up kissing the bottom corner of their right ear. They just aren't expecting it. I do it anyway, not to everyone - but with people I know and like.

Love ya, Inga!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scent-imental View Post

+1 on that, i do it, whether they are comfortable with it or not, it is who i am.

Well, I try not to force myself on anyone -- I mean if they are across the room and looking glacial I will restrain myself. Barely. If they are within arm's reach and friendly, look out.

Mike Perez had a tee shirt on at the Las Vegas BN meetup that said "Free Bear Hugs" - that's my kind of teddy bear.
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post #26 of 26
10/22/12 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
this has still been bugging me i do it when i drink now...........
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