Greetings

I know in my last post I mentioned greetings in various languages, but the really interesting thing here is how people greet each other. I’ll describe my observations as I am sitting here waiting for a meeting to start. We are sitting around a church where the meeting will be held, the women are on one side, men on the other. The women are all dressed in their brightly colored chitenjes. Most are wearing one wrapped around their head which is what they do when they are attending a more formal get-together. It’s funny though because they still wear 2^nd hand t-shirts that say things like “Tina’s bachelorette party,” “Don’t hate me cuz I’m beautiful,” and various 5k run/walk and fundraiser t-shirts. Just so you know, all the clothes you donate to good will, if not picked up in the states end up here!
The men sit on the other side of the church. Again, they all wear hats- a sign of importance. Doesn’t matter what kind of hat, any will do. Some have sport jackets on, others in simple button ups. Every time a new person arrives they greet every single person who is sitting around.

 Women will walk up to the person they are greeting, kneel, shake hands with the other person with their other hand holding their elbow. Often at the end of the handshake, you do this snap thing with the other person’s hand. I have only experienced this in the North but they may do it in other areas as well. If you do not shake hands, you at least greet the other person by putting your hands together in a clap and as you greet them and give a small curtsy. If you are a woman greeting a man, the woman will often avoid eye contact. I have seen some women who when greeting a man, even while carrying a load on her head, will stop walking, kneel all the way to the ground on the side of the road to greet a man before heading on their way. When men greet each other they will shake hands and do what I’ve coined as the “manshake.” I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but do have to say it’s funny watching the males in our group as they awkwardly learn how to do it….