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Bangladesh -- one makes a relaxed salute with the right hand.
Benin -- young men often snap fingers when shaking hands
Botswana -- people touch hands, like a handshake that doesn't include a grip, just lightly grazing palms and fingers. They ask each other: "How did you wake?" (It's interesting, in our family, we often ask, "How did you sleep?")
Cambodia -- here, one would put your hands together like "praying hands" holding them against your chest. The higher you hold your hands, the more respect you show.
Bhutan -- they ask, "Is your body well?"
Central African Republic -- good friends slap rights hands, then grab each other's middle finger using a thumb and middle finger, then "snap" the other person's finger. Sounds painful, but I'd love to have someone show me how it's done.
Gabon -- show respect by shaking a person's hand with both hands
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Georgia (no, not the state) -- their word for hello literally means, "Let you win". I wonder if that works with politicians?
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Greece -- back-slapping takes the place of shaking hands in many greetings.
Grenada -- sometimes friends might tap clenched fists
Guam -- there is a Filipino tradition on Guam to put one's right knuckles against an older person's forehead. (This can't be where "knucklehead" comes from, can it?)
Iceland -- their simple greeting means "Happy".
Jamaica -- "Waapun" one might say. It's a squished version of "What's happening?"
Mauritania -- some of the Moorish background might greet you with "On you no evil"
Mauritius -- they cut right to the chase in some villages here. Their hello literally means, "Speak!"
Micronesia -- the Yapese people greet with "It was good."
Maldova -- some men might greet a woman by kissing her hand while saying, "I kiss your hand." Why? What else would he be doing? Looking to nibble on ladyfingers? Sorry... gotta keep an open mind.
Mongolia -- rural people might exchange a pipe as a greeting
Mozambique -- northern people clap hands three times before saying hello
Maori -- some press noses together while closing their eyes. I wonder how often noses bump that way.
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Niger -- the Kanouri people shake a fist at head level and call "Wooshay! Wooshay!" ("Hello! Hello!")
Niue -- here's a nice greeting: "Love be with you."
Oman -- after a handshake, men might add a kiss on the nose. (Bet THEY keep their eyes closed!)
Singapore -- greeters slide their palms together back toward their own chests, then end with the hand over heart. Smooth.
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South Africa -- here's another fun greeting shortened from English: "Howzit". Some Africans in South Africa have a complicated handshake; step one: interlock pinkies. Step two: clasp fists. Step three: back to the pinkies.
Swaziland -- they say, "I see you!" (What, no "peekaboo"?)
Syria -- children sometimes kiss the back of the hands of their parents or granparents
Taiwan -- the traditional greeting is, "Have you eaten?"
Tuvalu -- this is my favorite. Relatives press a face to a cheek of the other and sniff deeply. Mmmm. Old spice.
Zambia -- some greet each other by gently squeezing a thumb.
Zimabawe -- the Shona people often show respect by doing a series of slow, rhythmic handclaps.
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