Polish etiquette
Julia Chowańska Jadwiga Sip Daria Kolińska (Poland)
The rules of Polish savoir vivre are not particularly different from the rules in other European countries. However, some of them are typical only for Poland and rare among people of other nations.
As far as greetings are concerned, when you meet someone you can just say good morning or hello. We sometimes shake our hands (usually among men). It is very kind when a man kisses a woman on her hand but it is more common among older generation. We often welcome people with three kisses on their cheeks.
Polish people are known for their hospitality. Guests usually bring small gifts for a hostess such as flowers, sweets or a bottle of wine. When they enter the house they take their shoes off. We do not start a meal without a host. Menu is often fat and caloric and we drink strong alcohol for toasts. It is the host who offers the first toast. The most common one is ‘na zdrowie’ which means ‘to your health’. Traditional family parties are organised at homes.
Polish people are known for their hospitality. Guests usually bring small gifts for a hostess such as flowers, sweets or a bottle of wine. When they enter the house they take their shoes off. We do not start a meal without a host. Menu is often fat and caloric and we drink strong alcohol for toasts. It is the host who offers the first toast. The most common one is ‘na zdrowie’ which means ‘to your health’. Traditional family parties are organised at homes.
There are some customs which are considered as old-fashioned. Few people know that if a man walks a woman, she should be on his right side (this rule is observed during official meetings or wedding ceremonies). There are still some gentlemen who give a hand to a woman when she gets off a car, give way at the door and open it or move a chair to help her sit down. With regard to elderly people, they are always treated with respect. It is common to give up a seat for the elderly in all types of public transport and buildings. What is more, when greeting you should always wait for the older person to extend his/her hand. If we address an older person, we always use titles or surnames. We should wait to be invited before moving to first names. Polish rules of behavior may be considered as a little bit out-of-date and formal. Nevertheless, Polish people are rather tolerant for other nations and they easily accept and understand different cultures. |
Savoir vivre in Greece
Bairami Evi, Milioti Athina, Pachi Mary, Pastira Eugenia, Tsoumani Georgia (Greece)
Good manners" seems nowadays a joke from the time of our grandparents. Nevertheless, when we are at school, when we are in a public service, when we eat in a restaurant or when we attend meetings in our block of flats we cannot but wonder how much quality life would have if we brought manners back to memory and behaviour.
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Around the world there are different ways of good behavior, this applies to Greece too. The ways of good behavior are used by people to behave politely. Moreover, they help in the good organization. They are divided into two categories:
DO’S
Do say ‘hello’: When you meet a neighbour.
Do say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’: it is very good manners to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. It is considered rude if you don’t. Do cover your mouth: When yawning or coughing, always cover your mouth with your hand. Do give up your seat on the bus to elderly people.
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DONT'SDo not stare at anyone in public: Privacy in highly regarded.
Do not ask personal questions: Do not ask questions such as ‘How much money do you earn?’, ‘How much do you weigh?’ or ‘Why aren’t you married?’ Do not say bad words to people. Do not speak with your mouth full. Do not eat with your hands. Do not interrupt others when speaking. To sum up the ways of good behavior are used by all the people in Greece but friends have a different code of conduct and behavior.... If someone visits Greece he/she must observe these rules and he/she will have a great time.
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Lifestyle in Spain
Fátima Villegas Cruz and Blanca Pérez Contreras
If we have to define our lifestyle with only one word we could say that “Spain is wonderful”. First of all, here we have a different schedule compared to other countries, for example: we use to have lunch at half past two or maybe at three o’clock and in Poland, Greece or Portugal they use to do it at twelve or even before. If we talk about dinner, we use to eat at half past nine or ten o’clock. The rest of the countries have dinner at eight o’clock more or less.
A common day in Spain, after having lunch, we use to sleep one hour and we call it “siesta”. After a few hours sleeping “siesta”, Spanish people practice a sport, normally football or basketball. In Spain, we all love sports. All the boys dream to be like Rafa Nadal, Fernando Alonso, Paul Gasol or Iker Casillas.
Specifically in Andalusia, we like folk dance and music different to other kinds of regions in Spain.
This is flamenco.
People here have too much art inside.
And talking about people, here we have some differences as regard other countries. To greet, we usually kiss twice in the other person’s two face sides. That is because Spanish people are more sociable and when we speak we are very expressive,as we talk we move our hands a lot. Moreover, we do not mind if we do not know one person, we are not normally shy, and we speak with everybody without any problem.
If we have to define our lifestyle with only one word we could say that “Spain is wonderful”. First of all, here we have a different schedule compared to other countries, for example: we use to have lunch at half past two or maybe at three o’clock and in Poland, Greece or Portugal they use to do it at twelve or even before. If we talk about dinner, we use to eat at half past nine or ten o’clock. The rest of the countries have dinner at eight o’clock more or less.
A common day in Spain, after having lunch, we use to sleep one hour and we call it “siesta”. After a few hours sleeping “siesta”, Spanish people practice a sport, normally football or basketball. In Spain, we all love sports. All the boys dream to be like Rafa Nadal, Fernando Alonso, Paul Gasol or Iker Casillas.
Specifically in Andalusia, we like folk dance and music different to other kinds of regions in Spain.
This is flamenco.
People here have too much art inside.
And talking about people, here we have some differences as regard other countries. To greet, we usually kiss twice in the other person’s two face sides. That is because Spanish people are more sociable and when we speak we are very expressive,as we talk we move our hands a lot. Moreover, we do not mind if we do not know one person, we are not normally shy, and we speak with everybody without any problem.