Now, is that REALLY true?

I have been around a lot of internationals in my life. Most of what I read, I think is true. French people really do kiss on both cheeks, and people who live in a country that has been influenced by France do the same thing. It is also a custom in France that nobody leaves the dinner/lunch table until everyone has finished all of their food. Even if there is a just a bite of food left on a person's plate people would not consider leaving. That is the case even if it is a bite of bread. Never heard of the other two stories, but I can see it being true. It is no longer 1940. People are rude. When they don't understand the customs of others, such as ice in a drink or holding a door open for a lady, they misinterpret the meaning. We need a little bit of open-mindedness without hard core liberalism attached to it.

Hi there AmbiePam, I have heard a lot of things about the people from other country usually do...and it maybe normal to them but it seems not to us...because of our different culture and practices actually. Anyways, since I don't really mind that or give importance to those kind of acts, it wasn't really a problem for me. And yeah, I met a French man and I was shocked that he automatically kiss my cheek as I bid goodbye. Like, I couldn't even say a word after that...and the fact that his Filipina wife was with her...and I then told myself that it is just normal to them so I got back to reality minute after. Happy Mylotting!

Well I did find out a few things for myself in my travels....they would really have a time with how women are treated in Germany....special parking places, women are always served first...and it's true about the ice. You can't get a beverage with ice unless you ask for ice....I have also wondered things about other countries....maybe someday I'll get more of an education in my travels!

Wow, I'd love England then, because I prefer no ice unless it is 100 degrees out..lol I think unless one actually visits a country, all they have to go on is what they see and hear second hand, whether from a movie, or reading, or even from a friend who has been there, everyone will have some clouded perspective of other countries. Now the part about China thinking women are weak because a man is being polite, either they see this country the way it use to be, or they only see the select few gentlemen still around. In either case, I wonder if it was an elderly person would they think this? Because in countries like China, they care for their elderly a whole lot better than we do. So maybe since they only are polite to the elderly people, maybe that is why they think when a man is being polite to a woman, they think she is not capable of opening her door herself, like their elderly people.

Of course they kiss eachother on the cheeks in France. That's a rethorical question, right? ;-) Most of Middle/Southern Europe kisses, but you don't kiss everyone and it's not the same persons in different countries. In Italy you only kiss close family I think, in Austria it's family and friends. Here in Northern Europe some people try to introduce the hugging and kissing, but us proper Scandinavians shake hands. Or grunt :-) I like Brits because they shake hands too, not too much hugging and kissing. It's not as easy as 2 kisses on the cheek. It depends on where in France your from, and apparantly also on which class you're from. Two kisses for the upper classes, three kisses for lower classes. 5 kisses if you are from Corse. I always thought Americans would be hand-shakers until I went there. That hugging nearly freaked me out :-) I backed into chairs and walls all the time. The hugging just involvos to much physical contact for me, the kissing is not as close actually. And just for the record: we do close the fjords at night in Norway (apparantly some American tourist asked about that). And there's plenty of polar bears in the street. And we all ski to work in the winter :-) Re Mylot: I try to remember to copy before I post, in case mylot get stuck.

hi ambiepam! this is a very interesting discussion to me...i would love to visit abroad and am interested in the customs of culture...my son went to paris several years ago and told me that he didn't think i would like it because it is very crowded and everyone smokes...(i am not a smoker and am a bit anti-social)...he did not mention any kissing, but perhaps he wouldn't to his mother! ...i had a german colleague once who agreed with you about the ice thing...when he moved to america, he never had drinks with ice and deplored them..he told me his elderly relatives in germany also had a fear of breeze...that if windows were open or fans or airconditioning blew on them they were convinced that they would become ill...

Kissing on both cheeks is very common in many countries it is a standard greeting across the world. Sometimes we do it here in Quebec, just depends on who it is. I doubt very much that the English would bring a bucket with Yanks written on it. That sounds like some email crap that is going around. Yes as a person who studies different cultures I can see them thinking that way. There ways for manners are very different from ours.

Yes it is true. The English assume All Americans like ice in their drinks. I do no! And yes , When you are a friend or a family member , you do get kissed on both cheeks when you get to a party or dinner And when you leave. As for our Chinese cousins, It is just a different culture.They don't get it and never will.

I saw some cheap vacations to Greece and wondered how is it over there with its extreme budget problems. I was shocked to see news footage of how dangerous Athens is with robbers on the lose. French people really do greet each other with a peck on each cheek of the face. I have heard an American person called a yank and think it sounds unpleasant. In Australia I have heard a person from Queensland called a banana bender.

I too could not believe it when i read all these things. It could be true because people around the world have different cultures. When we go abroad, we should learn their culture and follow them otherwise people would say that we are from another country. Here in my city there are many people who do less work but they want to collect their salary on time. A lot of cheating too takes place but i adjust to these situations and stay. I also heard that some people from other countries are rude but it is hard to believe all these things.

That made me laugh about the ice. (Sorry!) When I went to America I was shocked that every drink I ordered was so packed with ice, without me even asking for it! I hate ice in my drink as it dilutes it, and it hurts my throat. So having a drink that was mostly ice was not good for me... Luckily here you do usually only get it if you ask for it. And when I lived in France I experienced cheek kissing on a daily basis! I was at uni there and every morning my friends and I would greet one another with "kiss, kiss, kiss". It seemed extremely formal at first, and then when I came home to the UK it seemed strange not to do it. So a lot of things you hear about customs in other countries may well be true, even if they sound a bit strange! And with our lack of knowledge about other cultures, and the lack of context that sometimes causes, they are bound to sometimes be misunderstood. The annoying thing is when people stereotype about different cultures. Like if somebody meets one disagreeable person from a certain country and then assumes that all people from that country are like that too. Or if they blindly believe the 'common stereotypes', like how all British people have bad teeth, all French people are rude, or all Americans are fat.

Now days with such easy access to the media we can see alot of different cultures and day-to-day things taking place in real time in other countries that we wouldn't have been able to years ago. You spoke about France and people greeting one another by kissing on both cheaks. THey do that here in the US. American women being weak? Yes, it would have to do with courtesy and manners and character. I wounder about the treatment of women in Africa and India and such. I have heard some horrid stories.

we like our man to RESPECT us in america, not treat us like second best. thats what china may not realise. i knew about the ice in england because a client i had used to talk about such things different in her travels. but id never heard about the kisses on the cheeks in france

hi dear Ambie, its true that the French greet each other with kisses on the cheek but they are no real kisses. Rather their cheeks touch and the kisses are blown into the air. I know cause my aunt has been teaching French and has been to France several times. She even studied in Paris for two terms or so as she had a grant.

Yes, it's true many people kiss each other on both cheeks and it is not only in France that it is done, but here in Austria too! Actually, it is not really a kiss, but I would just call it a peck! In Latin America people only do it in just one cheek and that is the way I like it!

Maybe If I will visit one of the country I would research first many info about their cultures. And one of them ask mylot friends who lives on the country.

I don't know about England or France but I do know that Germany is tight with ice in drinks and they don't give any ice unless the person requests it. They're very derogatory about American's going over there and expecting the same thing as it's done in America. You wouldn't think a simple thing as ice would cause such a stir but it does. Every country is different which is why I'm fearful of visiting any of them other than my own because I'm not into breaking any laws. Did you know in China, it's illegal to chew gum?! I read that somewhere and liked to have fell over! Nothing like the good ole US of A!

I don't think I wonder if what I hear is true, but that is because what I hear about other countries is usually from my friends who were either born in or have lived in those countries. I have a lot of international friends and so some of their experiences are ones they have in common.

I used to get an experience when i traveled in china. 10 days, i had no coffee for drink since i am a big coffee drinker...finally we walk to find a coffee shop..but we couldn't see it. Finally we were back to the hotel and took drink in the first floor. I order ice milk coffee, but in there they don't have ice to put in coffee. We can speak English but the seller can speak Chinese only. Finally we make coffee by ourselves. We made capuchino coffee and put condensed milk in, of course no ice...because of no ice in the refrigerator...

May be.Countries have their own cultures and traditions.I have never been abroad,so have never seen anything.But I have read about strange traditions in different countries.We Indians have our own way of living and it may be strange for a foreigner.For example we don't kiss our spouse in front of our parents or elders or in public,because it is not socially acceptable here.But in western countries it is normal.