Bisous

French people love to kiss, but don’t touch them! I’m a toucher. I frequently touch arms, and shoulders. I’m learning to keep my hands to myself though. When I touch French women they typically look alarmed, and the French men usually look a little too excited. I’m grudgingly getting used to less hugs as well. Fortunately my friend Ursula hugs me, and most of the kids I know hug me.

Kisses can’t replace hugs, but I do adore them. There is only one way to express kiss in English but the French have a few words. The kiss most common and platonic is the bisous. Bisous are quick kisses on each cheek. Kids are encouraged from day one to give bisous. If you know someone at all it is very likely that you will exchange bisous upon saying hello and goodbye. If a friend is introducing you to another friend, you exchange bisous, particularly if there is a woman involved. Two men being introduced by a common friend will likely shake until a relationship is more established. Bisous are so comon that people verbally send them over the telephone and radio. E-mails and text messages also frequently contain bisous.

The bisous has various levels of intimacy. If someone is just an acquaintance the bisous is a touching of the cheek and a kiss sound. If you know someone, bisous are real kisses on the cheeks. Under special circumstances one might grab the head of the person they are giving bisous. This doesn’t happen very often, but I’ve seen it, and it has happened to me once. Special circumstances being, birthdays, someone is feeling down, or something really exciting has just occurred.