The Kiss And Hug Greeting

[nikad]

Well, I don't go kissing everybody ( and I was born and raised here, 100% Arg meat ) and in all honesty I don't care if they like it or not. Usually people I don't know I say " Hi " and shake hands with acquaintances. I only kiss close friends, family and any kids. Or reciprocate if no way out...

 

[Ceviche]

Learning the language is one thing, but snogging complete strangers is quite another.

For the unaware. Meaning of Snogging :- to interface passionately with another being, creating a field of physical obsession and focused arousal +centered+ on the lips, mouth and tongue.

 

[mmoon]

Don't always love it personally, but I do love the way it has instilled in my son the habit of personally acknowledging each person when he walks into a room of friends or family members. So many kids in the US just skulk by with a half-hearted "hey" and I would take the Argentine greeting any day, even with scratchy beards.

 

[ElQueso]

The language and kissing or mate are extremely different things. If you live in a country a long time and don't make an effort to learn the language that gets you a bad rep anywhere around the world (ie USA prime example "here we speak American").

I believe he was not talking about learning to speak Spanish, but rather many Argentino's complaints that foreigners (of any origin) don't pronounce things like "lluvia" or "llevar" like Argentinos do. I could be wrong, but I find it hard to believe someone would complain that Argentinos expect us to learn to communicate in Spanish, but I do believe a foreigner would complain that Argentinos expect "Casteshano" pronunciation, as I've been hit up by this Argentine complaint many times, as have our girls; all of us who speak Castellano quite well, thank you very much .

 

[Fangar]

I'm finding it a damn sight easier to learn to kiss total strangers than to speak Spanish.

 

[mayra_seattle]

The language and kissing or mate are extremely different things. If you live in a country a long time and don't make an effort to learn the language that gets you a bad rep anywhere around the world (ie USA prime example "here we speak American").

I speak Spanish. My parents are Mexican so I grew up with it. I just don't speak it with their accent and they obviously pick that up right away.

 

[mayra_seattle]

LOL Gringoboy, greetings in your circle of friends must be pretty full on if they qualify as snogging!

Lol!!

 

[BaltRochGirl]

In response to your original question, no issue switching back and forth when I'm with friends from home. I do give them explanation and expectations for what to expect when we meet people here when they visit and leave it up to them what they're comfortable with.

I grew up hugging and kissing close friends and family so no issue with that, but I'm not thrilled with the whole walking around the room with large groups of strangers I'll probably never speak with and rarely if ever see again, only do it if we have to definitely not keen on snogging them all that's for sure!

 

[rrptownley]

Scientists have just released a study on the culture of intimate contact.

“We hadn’t expected the Finns to turn out to be the most cuddly people,” Dunbars says, “or that the Italians are almost as uncuddly as the Brits.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/europeans-comfort-touch-social-bonds/412861/