(Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer on 5/24/06 – when I lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia.)

Being a relative newcomer to the Philadelphia environs – I’ve only lived here about three years – I feel that I am uniquely qualified to report on my observations of some of the more singular peculiarities of life here. I’ve also lived for long stretches of time in Colorado, southern California, and the Chicago area, and all of those places have their own idiosyncrasies. But Philadelphians and their suburban counterparts exhibit behaviors that seem to be theirs, and theirs alone.

Kissing as a means of greeting – The strangest social custom I’ve had to get used to here is that people kiss when they meet instead of shaking hands. In southern California, where you would think people would be kissing all over the place, a jaunty little wave or casual head nod is used when greeting someone. And in the Midwest, a firm handshake with a direct gaze into the eyes is the standard salutation. But here, once you have been introduced to someone, they become your kissin’ cousin. I have tried my best to adjust, but I am still startled every time someone lunges at me and plants one on my cheek (even air kisses seem to be rare). Hasn’t anyone around here ever heard of the Surgeon General’s report on how not to spread germs? Continue reading →