* To greet or not to greet … that is my question.
  One of the more basic customs of all, is greeting.
  In El Salvador greeting was a big part of one’s day. It was
pretty simple, there, all you needed to do is say … buenos
dia … to everyone. In the bigger cities it wasn’t quite as
absolute as out in the campo (field).
  In Senegal, it was greeting without borders. You really do need
to greet people and with the Fulani population, it can get quite
involved. It could go on for a couple minutes. It is like, how is
your house, family, health, children, wife/husband, crops and
on and on.
  After becoming accustomed to greeting, I have found that
it is has become part of my nature.
  In El Salvador and Senegal it is mandatory. If you don’t, people
are offended. Personally I like it that way. It is easy to
understand, you greet, end of story.
  OK, now here in Romania or more like Nădlac, despite the fact
that I have been here 7 months, I am totally confused about
the greeting customs.
  I have been told that the habit is to greet … nothing more
complicated than a buna ziua (good day) would suffice. I guess
it is one of those … it is great on paper situations.
  I have to say that it has been hit or miss. Nădlac is a small town
and at this point almost everyone has seen me at one time or
another. So to me, it is makes sense that greeting someone should
be a pleasurable event.
  Not so, it is like the draw of the cards, either you win or lose.
  I have to say that I do get upset when I say hi to someone and
they just look me in the eye as they walk by without responding.
  What is in my mind is … hey guys, be consistent. Some people
do reply but it is to the tune of a 50/50 success rate. It really
keeps me off balance, do I or don't I?
  Taking a chance at getting a greeting basically shoved up …
somewhere … is kind an exercise in anxiety. I don’t want to not
say hi and offend someone, and on the other hand, I don’t want
to greet and be ignored.
  If I hadn’t lived in the other two cultures where greeting is of
the utmost importance, I probably wouldn’t be so confused as to
what the rules are here in Nădlac. 
  From where I come from in the States (Massachusetts) the
greeting habits are similar to here. So if I arrived directly from there
to here, it wouldn’t be so much of a culture shock, just more of
the same.
  But … there were five years of greeting habits that I learned in
between the USA to here. I have to say that I prefer the greeting
rituals. As much as greeting every three feet can get repetitive, it
is friendlier and more human.
  It is interesting while living in another culture how some of the
habits slowly become a new part of who one is.
  Right now I am out the door, probably going to meet some people
on the street. I am going to take a chance and greet … wish me luck.