Shake hands. Hug. Kiss on the cheek - one, two or three. Bow as low as you can go. Cross your left arm in front of you and hold the inside of your right elbow, then use your right hand to shake hands. Put your two hands together as if in prayer, with your fingertips about nose level.
All the above are ways to greet someone in different countries and cultures. Which one is right? Did I make a social gaffe/boo boo? How do I know what to do?
"Ask Google" or YouTube! Well, yes, you can, but it's so much better to ask a native of that culture, or someone who has been there for a long time. In some cultures, one social gaffe can cause you a lifetime of relationship-building. Some cultures are just not forgiving. Once offended, he will hate you for life. Doesn't make for a friendly culture or potential foreign investment, but that's the way they are. We can't change that overnight.
So before you step into another culture, find out as much as you can about it. If you can't find any material (sometimes even Wikipedia draws a blank), then "play the student". Ask questions. Show genuine curiosity and a desire to learn about who these people really are. You may win a friend for life, and maybe even long-term business in a foreign land.
Happy learning!
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