Cheek Kissing. European Style

Not going to lie, I think one of the biggest adjustments I have had to make, accept, adapt to is the cheek kissing. Cheek kissing is the way girls greet girls and girls greet guys throughout Europe and the UK. It is done when you meet someone or just see a friend. It can also be done when one leaves. But in my case, it is sometimes, and by that I mean almost always, awkward or uncomfortable. In the beginning, I was all for it. I loved being so "european" and meeting all of these people and doing the cheek kiss. But now, it is mostly just weird. I never know if a person is going to go for the cheek kiss or not, so I just wait back and make them make the first move. Then, if they do go in for the cheek kiss, I never know if it is going to be just one cheek kiss, two, or even three. It is so confusing. With different cultures comes different number of times one kisses. But sometimes they will know I am American and I think just kiss once because of that regardless of their culture. Again, SO confusing. It is a new adaption that I am having to make. Especially getting over my American bubble of personal space. Lately, it has been so hot outside with no air con. and so one is rather sweaty/sticky/smelly. And at that moment, you really do not want anyone, especially a complete stranger, to get inside your bubble and touch their face with yours. 

I will now give an example of an awkward moment experience with the cheek kiss:

On Saturday night, I was at a formal bar for a friend's birthday. A male, Norwegian classmate arrived and instantly came over. He came to me first, so I just assumed that we would kiss cheeks at the normal number of times, 2. I went to the left to kiss his right cheek first and then after was going to the right (his left). He, in the mean time, had moved on to my friend, Charlotte, to kiss her cheek while I was kissing the air. Luckily, it was a dark and noisy bar so no one noticed but yes, I found myself confused again about the kiss cheek and that ultimately, made me decide to write about this topic. 

I have had this discussion with some friends here from other countries and they normally just laugh at me because I have made this more into a studied science than a greeting. Regardless. It is tricky stuff. I guess I will just have to keep practicing. Happy Wednesday!

Cheers!