prahkeitouj wrote:Today my teacher visits Cambodia. I always hug her when we meet because it's her culture but I also like to hug her too because it feels like hugging my mother. We went to many places and lunch together. When we said good bye to each other, she kissed my friend's hand and mine.
I felt a shocked, and I wonder if it's western culture to kiss someone's hand?

Samouth wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:Today my teacher visits Cambodia. I always hug her when we meet because it's her culture but I also like to hug her too because it feels like hugging my mother. We went to many places and lunch together. When we said good bye to each other, she kissed my friend's hand and mine.
I felt a shocked, and I wonder if it's western culture to kiss someone's hand?

I am not sure this is kinda greeting exist, since i have never seen anyone do that. It is interesting to learn. Can you tell where is your teacher from?

Anchor Moy wrote:

Samouth wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:Today my teacher visits Cambodia. I always hug her when we meet because it's her culture but I also like to hug her too because it feels like hugging my mother. We went to many places and lunch together. When we said good bye to each other, she kissed my friend's hand and mine.
I felt a shocked, and I wonder if it's western culture to kiss someone's hand?

I am not sure this is kinda greeting exist, since i have never seen anyone do that. It is interesting to learn. Can you tell where is your teacher from?

Is your teacher from a European country (not the UK) ? Maybe she wanted to kiss you goodbye (on the cheek) in continental style but she thought it might embarrass you, so she kissed your hands. (Not so personal.)My idea is that the teacher thought it was better to kiss your hands than your face - like halfway between a kiss and a handshake - but this hand-kissing is not a western custom. I think she just felt a bit awkward.

Sometimes it is very strange to go from a country where everybody kisses you all the time just to say hello and goodbye, to another country where kissing is almost taboo.

Is your teacher from a European country (not the UK) ?

I think only French people do the cheek kiss for greeting right?

Anchor Moy wrote:

Is your teacher from a European country (not the UK) ?

I think only French people do the cheek kiss for greeting right?

Actually I think that guys or girls kissing girl friends that you are close to is becoming normal for most westerners now, and guys give those man-hugs( like JL described - btw handshake and hug) when they are close friends, but not seen for a while. French men that are relatives or besties may do the cheek kiss also.
I was wondering if this lady was trying to do a mix between kiss and girl-hug thing with her handkiss.
For me, I think everythings cool but you need to be sensitive to others. I feel so humble to get Khmer hugs (from family) because I know that they are stepping out of their comfort zone to make me welcome.

PSD-Kiwi wrote:In NZ we greet each other with a Hongi, touching our noses and foreheads together, right hands grasped, left hand placed on the shoulder (unless carrying a weapon, weapon should remain in the left hand as it is considered non-hostile - in this case the right hand usually grasps the others shoulder). Hats should always be removed from your head before greeting in this fashion.

Hongi - the sacred embrace wherein two sides become one through the exchange of 'ha', the breath of life.



Or, a more informal greeting involves raising ones eyebrows and slightly nodding the head upwards...sometimes accompanied by a verbal greeting of one, or a combination, of the following words..."bro!", "cuz!", "(al)right?", "supp!?", "churrr!"

In fact, entire conversations can be had in the above fashion.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote:Greetings vary tremendously even in western cultures. Having grown up in a bi-cultural family, we always greeted extended family members on my father's side with a strong hug, and a double-cheek kiss with family members from my mother's side.