Which cheek to kiss

There are a select few individuals who insist on kissing others squarely on the cheek, leaving you to peck the air miles away from their face, but thankfully such experiences are far and few between. EF's GO blog offers the latest on travel, languages, culture, international careers and student life. We live and breathe this stuff here at EF and hope GO inspires, excites and helps you plot your next steps in life. Our mission is simple: We open the world through education. For over 50 years, millions of students have traveled abroad with us to learn a language and become immersed in a new culture.

Today, students from over countries study one of 9 languages at EF's 50 International Language Campuses in 19 countries around the world. Call us: Home Welcome to EF. Yes, even men greet one another with la bise but not nearly as often as it happens between two women or a woman and a man. Usually, men reserve la bise for very close friends and family. If two strangers are introduced to one another by a mutual friend, those two strangers can choose to greet that other person with la bise.

If a friend invites you to their house, you usually faire la bise on entry. If someone invites you to a small house party with a dozen or so people, the group is small enough where you can go around giving La bise while introducing yourself by name.

We do this regularly, even if people are seated around a diner table. They will do the same. We talked about greeting someone with a cheek kiss , but I failed to mention that you also give la bise when leaving if you are on kissing terms with someone.

If you run into a friend on the street, you would typically stop and faire la bise and continue on your merry way. If you run into them again later in the day, you do not give them another cheek kiss because you already gave them one the first time you ran into them.

The art of la bise may sound confusing, but it gets easier and will feel like second nature to you with a bit of practice. When I return home to see my family in Montreal, where la bise is not regularly practiced, it feels strange not to faire la bise. Offer your hand for a handshake before the other person has a chance to lean in for la bise. It sets a precedence and a signal to the other person.

Many countries have different takes on common Christmas traditions, and France is no different! How much tip you give. Kids can be French fanatics too.

From 3D Eiffel tower puzzles and French flashcards to cross-stitch maps and macaron cooking sets and more, here are over. Also, try to save it for casual social environments not networking events. In some parts of the North, you might get four kisses. In the Gulf region, you might see people touch noses instead. Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands: Three kisses on alternating sides, starting with the right cheek. Brazil: Generally speaking, two kisses is the average it can be as many as three , and you might experience a little more warmth and intimacy than you would in Europe.

Two kisses are also customary in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland. In northern France, the areas in pink correspond to places where people still give four kisses. However, data indicate that in these regions the four-kiss greeting has stiff competition from the two-kiss version. As can be seen on the maps below, the custom of four kisses is more prevalent among older residents of France, primarily in eastern Brittany and the Loire region.

Move the mouse over the map below to see the prevalence and distribution of four kisses in the unders and the overs. The reason behind these differences remains unknown. One respondent remarked that the custom of three kisses appeared more prevalent in the area roughly corresponding to 17th-century Protestant France, and that it could have been a way of recognizing those of the same faith three being a sign of the Trinity. Tradition has it that four kisses are given so that each person can kiss each of the cheeks of the other twice.

The second debate relates to the cheek that should be presented first for a kiss. We can see that the territory is broadly divided into two parts.