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Handshaking protocols in Poland?


f stop 25 | 2,503
9 Dec 2013 #1
For the globetrotters: interesting handshaking protocols from around the world. Do you agree?
What is it in Poland?

mentalfloss.com/article/54063/what-proper-handshake-etiquette-around-world
smurf 39 | 1,969
9 Dec 2013 #2
Poland would be the same as France on that list.
And depending on the region you might have to/can kiss women on the cheek 3 times...but only if you're close family/friends.
Men don't really kiss other men on the cheek, but I have seen it on a few occasions.....again, close family.
Hubertus 4 | 26
9 Dec 2013 #3
I always wondered this before I came here, so I'll try to provide a lot of information now since I have experience:

Living in Wrocław, it seems to be the same as in America. The exception is that it's more thorough/frequent. Men always shake hands upon meeting and upon departing. If there is a group of people, it's common and polite for a new person who is just arriving to go around and shake everyone's hand. Of course, if you're a man meeting another man, you're both young or at least young at heart, and you're a bit "street-wise", then it's that hand-clasp thing instead of a handshake. I once stood and watched a group of men who were setting up for a concert outside a club greeting each other - it took several minutes for every guy to go around and clasp everyone's hands. Very polite, but in America we don't bother.

As a man, I'm not entirely sure on the proper way to greet women, but I've always given them a handshake upon meeting them for the first time, and then after that when I see them again maybe we will hug each other if we've gotten to know each other a bit. That's been for my closer friends in my church student group. When I meet female classmates though, after the handshake the first time, I don't offer any type of physical contact. This is the same as in America. But maybe I'm just the common factor here.

However, I do have two friends from the mountains southeast of Kraków, a male and a female, and when they greet each other he always gives her a kiss on the cheek. They are very close, almost family.

I was told that I would see men kissing women's hands when meeting in Poland. The only time I've seen it was once with an older man kissing an older lady's hand in Wrocław, but he was doing it in a bit of a silly way so as to flatter her, and she was laughing, so I guess it was more just a joke.
OP f stop 25 | 2,503
9 Dec 2013 #4
When I first got to US, I was taken aback by all the women that insisted on hugging, even though we hardly knew each other. Hugs in Poland were reserved for family and close friends.


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