Greeting Kisses
| Greeting Kisses – What Happened and Why? |
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Country:
Sao Paulo, Brazil Student: Female, 20 |
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One
night my friend Maria and I were getting ready to go out for the evening. Before
we could leave, Maria had to call her friend Rodrigo to come and pick us up
because Maria did not have a car. I was nervous because I had not yet met
Rodrigo.
I had borrowed Maria’s clothes and earrings so I would fit into the foreign style. Rodrigo finally arrived around midnight. Maria introduced us, and I, being culturally sensitive, remembered I had to kiss Rodrigo on the cheek instead of shaking his hand. I kissed Rodrigo once on each cheek. After the greeting Rodrigo gave me a strange look and glanced at my left hand. Maria started to laugh as Rodrigo remained puzzled and asked me why I was not wearing my wedding ring?
Why had Rodrigo thought I was married?