If You’re Even Thinking About Traveling, You Need To Know These Greetings.

We all know how hard it is to say goodbye, but what many forget is that saying hello isn’t all that easy, either. (Especially if there is a handshake involved.) If you’re a world traveler, then you know that people even have to worry about offending someone by not using the correct greeting.

That’s right: there are more to saying hi than just shaking hands… or bumping fists… or hugging… or, well, you know how confusing it can be. We hope this list of greetings you may come across will ease some of the confusion during your travels. Take a look!

1.) Sticking Out Tongue – Tibet

2.) Three-Part Handshake – Botswana

3.) Salam – Malaysia

4.) Light Handshake – China

5.) Sungkem – Indonesia

6.) Hada – Mongolia

7.) Spitting – Maasai Cultures

8.) Sogi – Polynesia

9.) Bow – Japan

10.) Hongi – New Zealand

11.) Pressing Thumbs – Zambia

12.) Kunik – Inuit Cultures

13.) Hand Claps – Zimbabwe

14.) Back Pat – Greece

15.) Nose Kiss – Oman

16.) Wai – Thailand

(via Mental_Floss)

That’s a lot of different greetings! Now that you know how to say hello to people from different cultures, it’s time to shake the hand of a travel agent and plan that trip you’ve always been dying to go on.

If You’re Even Thinking About Traveling, You Need To Know These Greetings.