I come from Southamerica, Chile. I am going to generalize here a little bit cause I actually don't know every country in the south, but I'm pretty sure that Chile is not the exception at all. Actually, if I think about it, most of Europe, and because I just said southamerica and not latinamerica, I am also including Mexico (I know its in northamerica btw) cause I have very good friends from there and I know how it is (I've been to Mexico too), so maybe this happens just Canada and USA???
I am talking about saying "hello" and "goodbye" when you enter and leave somewhere, a store, the office at work (which is mainly why I am writing this), saying "good morning" to the bus driver, and "thank you" when you get off, the same thing when you're getting a coffee (and I know that's like a drug to people here), please when you ask for something. leave you seat to the elders and pregnant women at the bus (I think I shouldn't even be saying this, it´s so obvious for me at least, and there's fkn signs everywhere asking you to do some of this things).
There are so many things that I don't even know where to start from. I think saying good morning, hello, hey, hi, whatever, it has to be an education thing. And I am not even asking to kiss you on the cheek like we always do (even when is a stranger), and also in Europe. Is just 1 word, 2 words at the most. If the case is that you don't want to say it, at least you can say it back when people with better manners say it to you. Am I actually very wrong here??? It took me probably like 4 months to get used to the fact that, no matter the day or the person, they just don't say hello unless you step in front of them and say it to them. Sad thing is that I got use to that, and now I am doing the same thing. How many times you say hello to someone that never says it back?? I actually say "see ya" very loud to make sure they all hear me, and so when they don't say it back, they know how rude they are. Some of this things happened to me, others to a friend, and most latinamericans I've met here say the same thing. They are not bad people, they just don't do that specific thing unless you say it to their faces.
This one is kind of funny for me cause I do it to, specially when my mom is around, but I do it to bug her. Burp and then say "excuse me". Ok, so we burp too right, is natural, but if you force it, why the hell you say excuse me. you did it on purpose, it didn't came out naturally, so stupid. And no matter if there's a woman there, a granny, doesn't matter. When we do it we say excuse me but because we didn't meant that to happen, and we are not gonna keep doing it every 5 minutes and just fix it with an excuse me right after...it's a little bit cinical.
Some people could say, "oh, maybe is where you work", and NO, cause I've work in more than 2 places, different cities, and it happens everywhere. Of course I am not saying everybody does it, I am saying general.
And what's that about spitting everywhere you walk??, we have an animal called "Guanaco", he spits, as part of his nature. same thing for you people???
I guess that they're very cold people, some say it's because of the weather...I don't know. I hope you tell me. Anyways, I am used to this already, of course I don't do these things, and I am very far to start doing even one.
Go Canada !! Still better than Chile in a lot of things....I am just talking about the people., just being honest
