Visiting Girlfriend at her family. How to greet her family members?

♂

Edited by: bungal Jan 5, 11, 23:14 #1

I have been with my polish Girlfriend for 3 months now but she went to Poland for christmas for 4 weeks and we agreed I would come for a week in january.. aka this saturday I fly...

I will be staying with her Family, Mum dad, 2 sisters and 3 brothers...

Can someone please help me with the greeting of family members.. When greeting mother am I supposed to shake hands and kiss cheek.. also what of her sisters... kiss on cheek aswell!?

I know a handful of polish words.. and her parents dont speak much if any english...

When accepting a meal from her mother what should I say...?? Would it be insulting to thank her in english as I would not be comfortable speaking in polish from what i know..

Any other advice would be much appreciated!

WOWThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Jan 5, 11 ♀	Jan 5, 11, 23:24 #2
bungal: Any other advice would be much appreciated! Relax.

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Jan 6, 11, 13:48 #3
bungal: and kiss cheek.. also what of her sisters... kiss on cheek aswell!? i wouldn't do that. and be careful shaking hands with Polish women. they don't grip, they touch palms and press the thumb into the back of your hand. strange, but true and important to know.

♂

Edited by: Stu Jan 6, 11, 14:20 #4

Elderly women might appreciate a kiss on the hand ... you know like d'Artagnan. But don't really touch the hands with your lips, let alone leave the hand dripping with your saliver afterwards.

You might want to try to kiss your "sisters-in-law" three times. Not on the mouth or any other part "controversial" part of the body of course ... :D. But three times on the cheeks, again without leaving them dripping with saliver, is the safest (I 've asked my Polish wife and she said it'd be safest). Don't kiss your future "brothers-in-law", though. We are not in an Arab country ... :P.

Take some flowers for your mother-in-law (or Lindt chocolate), maybe some vodka for your father-in-law. Your sisters-in-law might like the Lindt chocolate as well, not the flowers. And if your bottle of vodka is big enough, your brothers-in-law and you might be able to enjoy it as well.

Try to learn some basic phrases. Thank you, your food is the best I've ever tasted, I feel really welcome, etc ... in Polish. I mastered it and I don't have such a high IQ. And look as if you mean it when you are saying it.

For the rest ... just enjoy the different cultures. You'll be having a ball. Try to start some funny interludes and have your girlfriend translate them. Don't be too controversial though ... but I guess you are a sensible guy, so you know what I mean.

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