In Miami, the most common way to greet someone is to give them an 'air-kiss' on the cheek. This standard applies in almost all situations: parties, work, church, socializing, etc. It goes for almost anyone that you've met more than one time.
Here is the dilemma and where I stutter in my application of this norm: gringos (aka white people). For example, today I had a meeting with a consultant at work, I've met her numerous times and more recently we are getting more friendly with one another. She is VERY all-American and does a lot of consulting in Idaho, of all places. So I go to greet her in our lobby and on my way up to her this thought crosses my mind: we've now seen each other too often to shake hands, but then I don't know if she's down with the Miami kiss-thing. So I ended up doing a very awkward hug/kiss thing. It was awkward on both sides. Oh well.
This has also happened numerous times when Alex has booked brides from Ft. Lauderdale who are white/gringos.
People from Miami - thoughts?
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1 comment:
Okay, so I'm not from Miami... but I've traveled enough to understand that there is "life" outside the world I know/live in suburbia Ohio. So, I thought "why not comment from the *other* side". Being a white/gringo woman, currently, in the great city of Cincinnati... I say go with what you know/what your culture is. I appreciate different cultures, and people need to be open to practices that may be construed as odd/uncomfortable due to their unfamiliarity. But isn't getting to know these practices and behaviors part of our devotion to networking, technology, and closing of the vast distance/separation of the world people? I say keep on doing what you do... let others experience the life that is and get over themselves.
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