Mexico is Like a Church in the USA. Everyone Hugs! A Lot!

In the US when men and women see each other, they will nod or say "Hi". That's the norm.

When you go to someone's house, you'll usually shake hands or whatever. Unless it's a Mexican or Persian household, in which case the women tend to hug each other more.

The exception is that at certain (not all) churches in the USA, everyone hugs at the end of the service. Because of my upbringin, I've never been a big hugger but it's the cultural norm at churches, so it's okay there. They hug at church in the USA.

Mexico is just a really, really big church.

Everyone in Mexico hugs - but when I wear this shirt, I get even more hugs!

Everyone hugs! Everywhere. And they don't just hug! The women all kiss everyone on the cheek. Go to someone's house, you're going to get 8 women hugs with kisses on the cheek and 4 man hugs (you know the "man hug" where you shake hands and then put your arms between each other so there's not actual body contact, while you pat each other on the back? That hug).

That's just when you arrive. When you depart? Unlike the USA, no one ever just says "Bye everyone!" and waves on their way out. Every single person is again given an individual goodbye - usually with some departing small talk, then another hug and kiss on the cheek. No WONDER it used to take my lovely bride 20 minutes to get out the door, after she said "Okay let's go home now"!!! This was all ingrained in her! It's hereditary! And by the way, this does NOT apply to just people's homes! I've now grown accustomed to the fact that when we show up at the club for tennis on a Saturday, I'm going to get 8 man hugs, and 10 or more woman hugs and cheeks kisses! Take a guess what happens when you bump into someone you know in the grocery store? You know it! More hugs and kisses, followed by the minimum requirement of 2 - 5 minutes of small talk.

Mexico is like a church.

And now that I'm used to it?

I absolutely love it and the people here!