Comments on: Column: Adventures in Multicultural Living

By: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 05:58:25 +0000

OMG, I can’t believe that I completely forgot about three-cheek kisses! Those used to be my favorite! Thanks for reminding me of their existence. Hmmm, who shall I kiss next?
Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

By: Pete

Pete — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:30:10 +0000

As a grad student at UM I met, through friends, a group of South Americans and southern Europeans who had regular dance parties at different peoples houses or apartments. Early on, toward the end of one party, a woman was leaving and everyone had circled around her to say good bye and she worked her way around the circle, giving out one, two or three kisses depending on the person’s background. When she got to me (Caucasian, born here in Michigan and pretty shy), she stopped, looked at me a moment and asked ‘Do you kiss?’. In one of the few times I actually managed to think on my feet I answered: ‘As often as possible!’; I got lots of laughs and a kiss on the cheek.

By: Reema

Reema — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:58:49 +0000

As an Arab-American, I can relate to your words. It’s so cool to know how to greet different cultures in different ways. I still like to hold on to it. I have friends who have lost the “2nd kiss” and now do one kiss and a hug. I have friends from Lebanon who are accustomed to the 3rd kiss- one kiss on each cheek and the last one back where it started. The interesting thing is the oddness in greeting those who have assimilated to the culture here. Do I kiss them or do I just hug them, or maybe just a hand shake? My girls (5 and 7) are growing up having to give the 2 kisses to their grandparents, and relatives who they don’t see daily. The ones they see daily are now a good hug. I spoke with my husband yesterday who is in Nazareth visiting his mom. He went out with his cousins to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The “American Way” reaches far and wide. Everyone around had excuses to kiss. That same evening I went to a friends party and as I walked in, all 15ish people stood to greet with a kiss- the Arabic way-cheek-to-cheek. It takes a few minutes to get around, but it felt like home. Thanks, Frances- I enjoy reading your column.

By: detroit

detroit — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:44:01 +0000

I also notice that Caucasians in Detroit commonly express their love before they terminate a telephone conversation.