Expanish TEFL Blog
To Kiss or Not to Kiss: Greetings in Buenos Aires, Argentina
In general, Argentines give each other a kiss on the cheek when saying hello, when saying goodbye, when meeting someone for the first time, and a few other situations. However, once in a while a handshake will be used and it is important to know when to kiss and when not to kiss.
When do you kiss?
A kiss is perfectly acceptable when meeting a friend of a friend for the first time, when meeting a friends’ family, or when meeting almost anybody through anybody you know. A kiss is acceptable to say both hello and goodbye; so, if you are introduced to someone, expect a hello kiss and a goodbye kiss. It is common to give kisses to your roommates, for example when you part ways in the morning, and when you see each other again in the evening. This goes for when you see your friends as well; kiss hello, kiss goodbye! For TEFL teachers in Buenos Aires, it is very common for students to give their teacher a kiss before and after the lesson, however, in some instances, because the student knows it is not in your culture, they may refrain from doing so, but if they do kiss you, it is perfectly normal.
When should you not kiss?
It is not very common to give a kiss when you go for an interview, but to be polite, if the interviewer goes in for a kiss, just go with it, and otherwise a handshake will be just fine.
In certain formal situations, especially between men, its better to offer a handshake then a kiss, but remember, that men kiss just as commonly as women do in Argentina.
In general, if you are in doubt, wait for the other person to make the first move, this way you will always be polite and you will catch on quickly to how things are done!
