Is cheek kissing appropriate when being introduced to a woman in Latin America?
In Southern Europe it is common to give two kisses (one in each cheek) when being introduced to a woman. So when woman A meets person B (no matter if B is a he or a she), they will kiss in almost all circumstances: professional, social.
I know this is not common in other European countries, as described in When to hug, kiss, shake hands, or even “fist bump” in Europe?, but I wonder: what about in Latin America? Do they share the cheek kissing tradition with Southern Europe?
Wikipedia mentions in Cheek kissing:
In Latin America, cheek kissing is a universal form of greeting between a man and a woman or two women.
It is not necessary to know a person well or be intimate with them to kiss them on the cheek. When introduced to someone new by a mutual acquaintance in social settings, it is customary to greet him or her with a cheek kiss if the person being introduced to them is a member of the opposite sex or if a woman is introduced to another woman. If the person is a complete stranger, i.e. self-introductions, no kissing is done.[citation needed] A cheek kiss may be accompanied by a hug or another sign of physical affection. In business settings, the cheek kiss is not always standard upon introduction, but once a relationship is established, it is common practice.
However, my experience in Colombia shows that in that country it is extremely rare to give two kisses when being introduced.
Is there a distinction among countries? What would be a good etiquette?
Best Answer
In Southern Europe air kissing, or cheek kissing, in a professional circumstance is highly discouraged and should not be done prior a meeting or an interview. It does not matter whether the person is an acquaintance or just being introduced.
Of course, this etiquette might vary depending on job position and industry this one takes place though my first paragraph is taken as ideal when approaching a professional level.
In addition, South Europe is a vague definition and different traditions are found. In Spain it is common to give two kisses but in Italy varies from south to north, as it happens with France, even where sometimes is 3, or in Greece/Cyprus which etiquette in kissing can include two men being introduced as well.
Unfortunately, I don't have professional experience in Latin America however, socially, the approach given can be also determined for the person to be introduced.
In this case is also quite funny seeing how the native extends his/her hand to shake it and the "new" person gets closer to give a kiss instead of the other way around.
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What countries kiss on the cheek as a greeting?
Italy, Spain, and Portugal: Kiss on each cheek A quick kiss on each cheek \u2014 usually right, then left, though reversed in Italy \u2014 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.What does a kiss on the cheek mean in Mexico?
GREETINGS. Mexicans are warm joyful people. Mexican people, as most Latin countries tend to be considered warm people. One kiss on the cheek is the usual greeting between women and between persons of opposite sex. Men don\ufffdt kiss other men except sometimes for their fathers or grandfathers.What culture greets with a kiss?
While cheek kissing is a common greeting in many cultures, each country has a unique way of kissing. In Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Russia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland and Lebanon, it is customary to "kiss three times, on alternate cheeks".Do Mexican cheeks kiss?
Once people become acquainted, greetings become a lot warmer and Mexicans often prefer to embrace (abrazo). This involves a loose embrace accompanied with a kiss on the right cheek.French kissing culture: The ins and outs of 'la bise'
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Answer 2
I can talk about Argentina. Woman/male greetings are most commonly with an "air kiss", as mentioned above: you gently touch right cheeks while possibly doing a kiss sound. A hand shake between man and woman is not necessarily awkward, but shows a high level of formality. So, basically, as a male I would probably hand-shake with a woman in a formal/professional situation. In any situation where the introduction is as friends of friends, or situations like that, the kiss is mandatory.
Also, over the last three decades or so, male-to-male kiss has become the standard among friends. So when a friend introduces me his/her friend, it is sometimes confusing whether to shake hands or to kiss. The more informal the environment, the more common the kisses.
Answer 3
In Latin America you should not kiss somebody when meeting for the first time. It is very safe to do a handshake in the beginning for all kinds of situations, business, casual, etc. People will not think it is awkward but more like you are formal person. Afterwards, you can say goodbye (or greet in another time) with what other people referred as the air kiss.
During high school I remember that if you really liked a girl, there was a nice way of playing suave, where for greeting, you would actually kiss the cheek but slowly and with passion, like a 2 second thing. But of course, this is with a girl who was kind of flirting with you already.
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