Chilean Customs: Meeting and Greeting

American Culture lacks the "Beso" (Kiss)

If you ask a Chilean to describe gringos, specifically people from the United States, one of the first things they will say is "frío" (cold). They'll tell you about the distance we seem to keep with each other, our slightly stand-offish nature.

Are we cold? I didn't think so until I came to Chile and realized not how cold we are, but how warm Chileans are in comparison. From the people at the cash registers in the Jumbo to people waiting with you for the micro, you will find that almost every Chilean is friendly and wants to help. One of the wonders of the Chilean culture that shows warmth right off the bat is the kiss on the cheek when greeting.

They kiss all the time - returning from a trip, coming down for breakfast - a kiss on the cheek to everyone in the room is warranted. Kids greet kids with a kiss. Women greet women with a kiss. Men sometimes even greet other men with a kiss. (The kiss between men is more common among Argentinians).

The kiss is something that I thought would be strange when I first came, but I have found entirely natural.

When one group of people join another, everyone revolves around the room kissing every other person. It often resembles a rousing game of musical chairs. When I arrived I didn't think this was entirely necessary, but I quickly changed my mind. The kiss shows warmth - it shows acknowledgment, if just for one moment, that the other person is there. I'll go a step further - the kiss is something that is missing from our culture.

Think about it - you're a girl in the United States and one of your friends introduces you to a girl friend of hers. Because you're a woman, a handshake isn't entirely appropriate. Because you're not a middle-aged soccer mom, a kiss isn't right either. A hug doesn't work until you're friends. Our system of greeting creates an awkward smile or nod that sort of lingers for a few seconds. The American culture lacks this obvious and natural way of greeting.

Will the kiss catch on in the United States or are we too cold?