what's behind the hug?
maybe the following posting is a sign that i was REALLY bored at work today, but i was thinking about how intricate greetings are...
on one hand they seem so simple and easy, but on others they are quite complex...for example it seems for brazilians that it is the norm to go and hug every person in the office and wish them happy new year on the first day back in the office...but for me i felt very awkward doing this...
i love a good hug, dont get me wrong...but i felt like if i did that it would seem extremely fake because i dont know most of the people in the office...not that i begrudge them a happy new year...but feels awkward to me to go and hug people that i have never spoken to before...but do they all "know" each other?
but then probably to them i might seem snobbish, arrogant or really shy because i only gave new years hug to the people on my team...? are these kind of small acts essential in building our professional relationships?
or do they consider that i am from a different culture and it doesn't necessarily mean i am arrogant and dont want to get to know them?
this links to another thing i have been thinking about which is what happens when different cultures meet - and what should happen to maximise the creative potential of this diversity?
until now i have been sitting back a lot and observing...trying to see how things are done and why without judgment...but maybe now is a good time to start swinging the pendulem towards chaos and introducing some different ways of doing and seeing things...creating some new possibilities...?
4 Comments:
Hey babe!
Sending you a virtual hug!
Happy New Year dear!! I wish you the very best for 2007! Let it be full of love, happiness, friendship, health, success, traveling etc! I'm very glad to hear you had such a great 2006.
Thanks again for all your motivation, help and tips (WENA Newies 05, my first conference as a chair, and just all the good times in Amsterdam).
I'm back in Amsterdam again (after 9 months NYC), but don't know yet where I'll be this summer (after I graduate). Maybe back to NY, South-America... anyway, your travel life style is what I wish for ;-)
Big kiss,
Mischa
7:13 AM
hi mischa! thanks for the message. also wishing you a great 2007!!
hey by the way, do you have any suggestions for "must-dos" during 4 days in new york??
beijos
zoe
7:21 AM
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7:16 AM
Hello Zoe!
This is Matthew from Taiwan and it's so good to find your blog since the last time we met each other was one year ago in IPM 2006.
This is a really interesting article. I'm wondering that if you know any Asian there or not and how you feel about the interaction between Asian & Brazilian, cuz most of my friends never hug their friends at all actually...
(Time flew fast to death...even my successor now has her successor......)
Hug!
Matthew
10:00 AM
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