Overseas Briefing Join the crowd and pucker up in Buenos Aires

Author: Dina Magaril

BUENOS AIRES - I have kissed more people during my two months in Buenos Aires than ever before in my life. Before you get the wrong idea of me tramping around an unfamiliar Latin American city, let me explain. Kisses are to Argentina what the handshake is to the U.S. I was surprised when my boss kissed me after the first day of my internship. He then kissed my two female co-workers and a male intern. I soon learned that kissing is simply the culture, and unwarranted kisses is something I would get used to. While Americans might shy away from kissing their bosses, planting a kiss on Mr. Jefe (boss) is expected at the end of a hard day's work here.

I have kissed friends, the owner of my favorite bar, my professor and even the woman who sold me my cell phone. It's quite refreshing to kiss your classmates, and I've soon grown to prefer this greeting rather than throwing out a quick hello. It becomes easier to start up a conversation with a classmate you might have otherwise been too shy to get to know, and it's a great way to get close to those dark, handsome men in your class.

Kissing strangers has become a part of my daily routine. In Buenos Aires, everyone kisses everyone. Old men meeting for coffee greet each other with a big sloppy one rather than a handshake. Considering the misogynist culture one encounters in Argentina, seeing grown men kiss warms the heart.

Entering a party where you know only one person will result in a kiss from everyone who notices your arrival. Unlike in the U.S., throwing out a casual "hey" is considered rude to Argentines and will lose you major points in the potential friend department. The custom is to first kiss the one person in the room you know. Your friend will then introduce you to everyone he or she knows, resulting in a kiss and casual name exchange. This will repeat until you've smooched everyone in the room and forgotten every name you have learned. Nevertheless, give yourself a pat on the back: you are one step closer to nailing porteÒo etiquette.

There are times when I wish the kissing custom did not rear its pretty little pucker. These occasions include encounters with men with bushy beards or other kinds of unappealing facial hair. Other times, I find myself wishing for a handshake upon meeting "ulterior motive guys" at a bar or some similar social setting. Unlike in an American bar, where ignoring a boy is simply the norm, refusing a kiss from a boy who is trying to introduce himself to you is looked upon as bad manners in Argentina.

New students take heed: some men will take the "this is an Argentine custom" excuse to the extreme. People you are not expected to kiss but who may try to kiss you anyway include doormen, taxi drivers (definite no no!) and drunk men in their 50s. Sometimes it is best to use your discretion in a kiss or no-kiss situation. Family, friends and acquaintances are all safe bets, while strangers who seem a bit too eager to plant one on you should send off a warning sign.

In the end, you'll be happy you puckered up and kept your hands at your sides. It's hard to feel alone in a strange city when you've kissed so many of its inhabitants. So welcome to Buenos Aires, the city of the beso; just don't forget your chap stick.