Conversation 1  

Anna: Hi Kaito! You’re new here, right? I’m Anna Brown, one of your teachers. Pleased to meet you... Oh!

Kaito: What’s wrong, Ms Brown?

Anna: Sorry, your bow surprised me. We usually just say “hello” or shake hands in the US!

Kaito: That’s surprising! In Japan, we bow as soon as we meet a teacher.

Conversation 2 

Harry: Hello! You’re Li Tong, right? I’m Harry. We’re in the same science class.

Li Tong: Oh, hi, Harry! ... Sorry, should we shake hands? How do you greet others in the UK?

Harry: We could, but it’s a little formal. Usually we just say “hello”.

Li Tong: Do you kiss others on the cheek?

Harry: We hug sometimes, but we don’t usually kiss to say hello. We don’t bow either. That’s so formal that we only do it at special times.

Li Tong: Wow! I thought people in the UK were very formal.

Conversation 3  

Bob: Hey Ji-Hoon, meet Marie. She’s from France.

Marie: Hi Ji-Hoon, nice to meet you... Oh, don’t look so embarrassed!

Ji-Hoon: It’s embarrassing! In Korean culture, we don’t usually kiss people unless we love them.

Marie: In France we kiss friends on the cheek to say hello!