It is always interesting to observe the traditions and customs of other nations, a special place among which is held by greeting. It is it that can say a lot about the mentality, openness and other important characteristics of a particular nation. Of particular interest is the various forms of Turkish greetings.
Etiquette
Coming to Turkey, one should not forget for a moment that although religion is now separated from the state, Turkey was and remains a predominantly Muslim country, which is why greeting plays a special role here. Any local will be pleased to hear the delightful “Merhaba”, or hello, the short “Selam”, or hello, “Iyi gunler”, “Gbn Aydin” - good day, in addition, in Turkey it is customary to use the phrase “Hayar vakhtyniz heyir”, which literally means good day.
The next thing after the words of greeting, you should not complain and talk about your own adversity in life, this is considered a sign of bad taste.
Greetings forms
It is not surprising that men in Turkey warmly embrace and kiss, this form of greeting is inherent in close people who have a trusting relationship, strangers, barely familiar people, as a rule, use the classic handshake. You should not greet women in this way, this is a sign of some promiscuity and the fact that she wants to get to know very closely.
It is customary to greet a woman from afar, without approaching her at a dubious distance, and even more so, without touching her with her own hands.
In Turkey, it is customary to immensely respect and honor the older generation, which is why it is customary to kiss the back of the hand when meeting with grandfather and then apply it to the forehead. This form of greeting is required during sacred holidays, for example, bayram, when, in response to such a ritual, the elders distribute to the younger all kinds of sweets or change for pocket money.
Welcome kisses in Turkey are a special ritual that is intended only for people of the same sex, men usually do it in the form of a light touch of the cheeks or head. You need to start on the right side. Depending on the area, it is customary to make one to three consecutive kisses.
Tradition and modernity
Turkey is currently moving by leaps and bounds towards European traditions. Society is changing and traditional habits are becoming obsolete, for example, modern Turkish students and female students do not follow the rules so rigidly and greet each other with passionate kisses on both cheeks. It is necessary to respect local rituals of greeting and, if possible, follow them and scrupulously observe them, so as not to get into a funny and very awkward situation.
