In France, one is expected to kiss on both cheeks at the arrival in a social occasion. Fine, i can cope with this. However, when one wants to disappear as inconpicuously as possible, one can not. One must go round the whole table giving each person a kiss on each cheek, even if one does not really know/care who the other person is. As a result, the shy disappearing act is quite impossible.
Similarly in Argentina, it is expected to kiss once when you see someone, however living in a student residence of 15 people this means that in one day you can expect to kiss/be kissed atleast 15 times. As, then people have friends who need a kiss too. For me, the most ridiculous thing, is that for most of these people i don't even know their names, no just everyday we will kiss. Fact. I just find the whole thing rather awkward really, i mean with the french guy i went for the second kiss and he was fleeing up the stairs after the first resulting in severe awkwardnes lasting a good few days. Another thing that gets on my nerves here is why oh why ask 'como estas' when you aren't going to wait for the answer. Everyone just replies 'bien' and thats it, thats my contact with that person untill the same 3 word conversation arises the next day. I might break the rule and say (in fluent spanish of course) 'no, you know what i am not bloody okay, i couldnt sleep last night and argentina does not sell tampons'.......i wonder how that would go down.
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