When greeting each other, close friends may hug, back-slap or kiss one another on the cheek, while others may simply offer a nod. Women generally tend to be more physically affectionate during greetings.
In some cultures, kissing on the lips is a romantic gesture, but in others, this isn't always the case. In South Africa and Australia, for instance, kissing quickly on the lips with a closed mouth is a common greeting custom among friends, especially in rural areas.
“How ya goin'?” is the ultimate Aussie greeting. If you're not from Australia, this mash-up of “How are you?” and “Where are you going?” might leave you a little perplexed. If it helps, think of how the Brits say “y'alright?” - it requires no detailed response. In fact, a simple “hey!” will suffice.
Two kisses: Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Brazil (though, like France, the number can differ by region), and some Middle Eastern countries (though not between opposite sexes)
In the Western world, a kiss is a common gesture of greeting, and at times a kiss is expected. Throughout all cultures people greet one another as a sign of recognition, affection, friendship and reverence.
Indeed, some 650m people—or about 10% of the world—don't partake at all. Until contact with the West, for example, kissing wasn't practiced among Somalis, the Lepcha people of Sikkim or Bolivia's indigenous Sirionó.
In Asia, Australia and North America, for example, a simple peck on the cheek may be viewed as a homosexual act. But in the Middle East and parts of Europe, Africa and South America, it's common for men to greet one another with a cheek-kiss. Or perhaps two cheek-kisses. Or three, depending on local convention.
Of Latin origin, the greeting kissing persists in countries where the culture of contact dominates, and this culture is deeply rooted in France. The French still greet each other by touching each other, kissing or shaking hands.
Italy, Spain, and Portugal: Kiss on each cheek
A quick kiss on each cheek — usually right, then left, though reversed in Italy — will suffice in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and much of Europe. Most of the time, rather than pecking, it's common to brush cheeks and make a kissing sound.
[British etiquette consultant William] Hanson described proper procedure: “If it's a man and a woman who are greeting each other, the lady proffers her cheek or cheeks. If she doesn't want to kiss, she extends her hand. If it's two women, it's the senior one who sets the terms.”
It is considered impolite to ask a direct question about a person's salary or wealth. Inquiring about someone's weight or age is also highly inappropriate in many situations. Spitting in public is rude. If there is a line for something, always queue and wait for your turn.
Dates are typically very informal. A date could be something as simple as getting a coffee or going to the pub together. It's also not unusual to date more than one person at once, especially when you're first starting to get to know someone. Australian dating culture is also very accepting and inclusive.
G'day. One of the first things you'll hear when in Australia, is the classic “G'day, mate”, which is basically the same as saying, “good day”, or “hello”.
When greeting each other, close friends may hug or kiss one another on the cheek, while others may simply offer a nod. In some casual settings, your name may be announced to the group at large. In this case, it is assumed that you will get to know others' names as you mingle.
Three Kisses: Belgium, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Egypt, and Russia (where it's accompanied by a bear hug)
Less than half of all societies kiss with their lips, according to a study of 168 cultures from around the world. William Jankowiak, a professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, found that only 46% use lip-to-lip kissing in a romantic sense, excluding things like parent-child kissing or greetings.
In Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Somalia, and Brunei, hand-kissing is a common way to greet elder people of all genders, primarily the closest relatives (both parents, grandparents, and uncles or aunts) and teachers.
One common thing to happen between friends is a kiss. Kisses are normal when people have intimate feelings for one another or are just excited and in the mood for physical contact. Sometimes kisses might happen because we are emotional for some reason and just act on our feelings without thinking.
Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. It's often referred to as the “love hormone,” because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment. According to a 2013 study, oxytocin is particularly important in helping men bond with a partner and stay monogamous.
In Germany (as well as in Poland and the United States), it's customary to greet someone with a hug/handshake. The hug/handshake is also common in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, although a verbal greeting is preferred if you haven't met the person before.
Some men view kissing as something exciting at the beginning of a relationship, but as time passes, they start to think of it as a simple prelude to sex. Other guys love kissing and are passionate about it. One tip for how to tell if a guy likes kissing you is if he always lingers and could kiss you for hours.
The Middle East and India are two parts of the world where you'll encounter the strictest public display of affection laws. Kissing in public is illegal in Dubai, and couples have been arrested for excessive PDA in Egypt.