Category: Let's talk
Sometimes it can be awkward when you are introduced to or meet somebody and you aren’t sure how to greet them. Handshake? Kiss? Hug? Double-kiss? Air-kiss (if you’re a pretentious twat)? When I was younger it was simple; everybody got a handshake (or some convoluted fist-touching, hand-slapping routine) as it was less threatening. Nowadays only people I’ve never met before get a handshake, however depending on the situation with a woman I can usually tell whether they would be receptive to a kiss on the cheek. In most situations, I wouldn’t object to a kiss on the cheek (even with men), though I don’t think it’s a good idea at job interviews! On the lips? Never! lol
How do you like/prefer to be greeted in different professional and social situations, and how does the “intuition” work with limited or no sight?
Well, hugs are wonderful from almost everyone. A kiss on the cheak is refreshing in it's rarity and in most cases the one attempting it would not be slapped. Hand shakes and shoulder touches are all right as well, and are the norm in my experiences. Air kisses piss me off, unless a friend is doing it, trying to be cute, mocking the pretencious lot in doing it. I've noticed that musicians tend to do quite a lot of hugging, and that's fine with me. Huggs to all.
I sometimes wonder the same thing. I thought that when we meet people for the first time shake hands would be the most appropriate thing to do but i think young people these days don't find it necesary. When my girlfriend introduced me to some of her friends from university last year they didn't shake hands with me. So i reached my hand out for handshake with no respons so that felt a bit strange. So i don't know what to do next time lol. That was about England. In Cyprus i think people are more expresive. Relatives or friends usually kiss with each other when they don't meet for long time. But i have to say that women do it more with each other or women and men. Men also kiss but it is not as often. I personally don't feel confortable to kiss somebody and even when they kiss me i don't return the kisses lol. I know it is not a polite thing to do. The only people i don't mind kissing are my brother and my sister or other children. But when people are older i can't do it lol.
I'd feel comfortable with just a handshake, or a hug is okay too, as long as the person doing the hugging is not trying to break my ribs. lol
I think hand shakes are the most appropriate for meeting someone for the first time. I think hugs are okay for people who know each other well, but I feel uncomfortable if a stranger or someone I barely know hugs me. I have a co-worker who thinks everyone wants to be hugged, and we all make fun of her behind her back, but no one has yet had the nerve to tell her to keep her hands to herself. As for kisses, I would think it would be hard for a blind person to know when a person just wants to air kiss and might misinterpret that move. Thankfully I don't know any air kissers. I think of that as a Hollywood thing.
same opinion about the kissing
I like hugs, generally speaking, even from relative strangers. If it's someone I'm meeting for the very first time and have never before spoken to in any capacity, a handshake will suffice, and I'm not really enthusiastic about the cheek kissing as a greeting from anyone unless I'm pretty close to them. I agree with Heather about the air kisses--they piss me off as well.
I would go for a hand shake. If its some you know, a hug can be extremely up lifting.
I like hugs.