Coronavirus Choices - how to avoid handshakes when greeting guests and saying goodbye

Medical personnel are clad head to foot in protection. What should we do and not do? Here are some idea.

Coronavirus alerts have caused us to be wary of hand shaking and kissing as greetings and farewells.

Hand shaking used to be a must when entering the stage to speak and when handing back to the Toastmaster of the Day at Toastmasters International speakers' training meetings. But you also see handshakes as a ritual ending a tennis game, for example at Wimbledon. And you will meet people offering to shake your hands many times.

France has banned la bise, the kiss on the cheek as welcome and farewell. I have found more than 30 alternatives to handshaking and kissing.

If you are being ultra cautious, you should also avoid, high fives, fist bumping, air kisses, and blowing out candles on birthday cakes.

I should also mentions other advice I have heard, to avoid touching door handles.

These include
FACE
Winking
Nodding and smiling acknowledgement.

Even wearing a mask over the nose, your eyes can smile. A voice shows a smile, because on the radio or acting as a phone receptionist, you are advised to smile which is reflected in the sound of your voice from a wider mouth and the instinctive enthusiasm generated by the action.

HANDS
Namaste
palms together


Indian namaste greeting at the Oberoi hotel in Indian.

Martial Arts self handshake.
Cross thumbs and cross one hand over the other. I think it's the right hand over the left.

Here is my friend Raymond from Toastmasters International speakers' training in Singapore, demonstrating.

I once saw a poster advising staff in a Japanese department store, Isetan in Singapore?, how to greet customers. Staff at the door wait with their hands folded. Men fold their hands one way, I think its right hand over left. Women fold hands the other way, left over right.
The staff members nods as the customer enters.

You could fold your arms. But that looks unfriendly. Better to simply clasp your hands together. Or clutch a handbag, umbrella, walking stick, Zimmer frame, clip board and pen, whatever suits the occasion.

Remember not to put your pen in your mouth. Don't touch your face, when tempted to yawn, rub your eyes, scratch your nose, sneeze.

Hats and Salutes
Wear a large hat such as a sombrero.

 Or an Australian hat with suspended bobbing corks designed to keep away flies, also stops people trying to kiss you.

You can touch your hat.

Or tip your hat.

Or removed it entirely.

At funerals or when funerals pass it is in some placed the custom to remove a hat and place it in front, either over your heart and chest or lower.

Boy Scouts
The boy scout salute is a two or three finger salute. The thumb meets the little finger.


Military Salutes
A salute can be  horizontal, hand palm forward at top of hear or at ear level
Army
Air force
Navy


See pictures on Wikipedia.
Other countries have different salutes which include hand on heart.

Hand heart
How to do it? Put your two thumbs together, then your next finger on each hand touching the counterpart.  Bend the two next fingers downwards to make the heart shape.




The V For Victory
Winston Churchill made this popular in the UK. In the UK,  the v sign with the palm facing the onlooker is peace. But the hand reversed means up yours, an insult.

As different countries can reverse this rule, I always avoid v signs to be sure of not giving offence.

BODY
Bow.

Statues in Singapore by Gao Xiao Wu.

Curtsey

To prevent others approaching you, and save yourself from forgetting:

Western
Carry a tray of food, drink or leaflets.

Stand or sit behind a dog.

Sports, Events And Work

Sit on a horse.
Stand on a podium or pedestal, behind a lectern.
Insert a glass window and speak through it. (As done by banks, security entrances.)

Taxis
Drivers can insert a glass to keep passengers at the back.

Open windows to circulate air.
Eastern/Oriental/Tropical

Use a fan


Weddings
On special occasions such as a wedding, you can carry a tray of drinks.

Or your glass of Champagne.

Or raise your glass in a toast.

The bride can carry a bouquet and/or a prayer book.

She can wear gloves which co-ordinate with her outfit.




A mask discourages kissing.

Goggles also have the same effect.

You could wear a work hat and goggles.

Or a motorcycle helmet.



In the early days in Wuhan, photos showed improvised headgear boxing gloves, motorcycle helmets, ski goggles, swimming goggles. Such as plastic bags with holes cut out, hollowed out fruit such as grapefruit.

Keep smiling. Keep well, and keep cheerful. Hope for the best.
As American Benjamin Franklin said, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer. Author of
Etiquette for every Occasion by Batsford.
Quick Quotations by Lulu.com
Who said what when by Lulu.com

Please share links to your favourite posts.

How To Avoid Hand Shaking and Kissing - A Score of alternatives during coronavirus and other occasions

Alternatives to hand shaking are needed when there is danger of catching a coronavirus .Several are being used at meetings of Toastmasters International in Singapore and many other meetings. The old high five, striking palms together, also has to go, at least temporarily.

No kissing, not children, not the elderly.





Traditional handshake.

We cannot all wear head to food protection supplied to health care officials.


Here are some options:
1 Nod.

2 Bow. Bow and nod.

3 Namaste and bow.
Namaste - palms together. Common in India and Asia.


Namaste in Indian hotel.

4 Chinese fist.


Chinese fist. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

5 Salute (aye, aye captain style).

6 Greek style, strike your own chest with your right palm.

7 Carry a tray.

If you are likely to forget, or wish to conceal your intentions, carry a tray. For example, greet guests by carrying a tray of glasses of water. Or carry a plate of food. Or a tray with the agenda, papers to give to each guest, pens, or free gifts such as key rings, or name badges. Separate the handouts so each person takes one item, without touching the other items.

2,126 (435 KB)

Panoramafotos.net (talk | contribs)

Best to carry a tray with both hands. But even with one hand, you obviously cannot carry a tray level whilst shaking hands.

How to say goodbye?

8 Wave

9 Blow a kiss

10 Thumbs up

How to avoid kisses?

11 Hug
Wear long sleeves, Wear long gloves.

12 Wear a large Hat
Wear a hat with a brim and ear muffs, such as a deerstalker or Sherlock holmes hat.

Wear a sombrero or large hat with a large map so you cannot be taken by surprise.

13 Wear a motorcycle helmet.


14 Sit on a motorbike.

15 Wear swimming goggles.

16 Wear ski goggles.

17 Wear a surgical face mask.



18 Sit on a horse.

19 Stand behind an aggressive dog, or an over friendly dog. Sit behind a dog.


Do not kiss children nor babies.



20 Sit on a high chair on a dais.

21 Or stay on a dais, on a high step-on podium.

22 Or behind a lectern.

23 During the refreshment break, hold a cup in one hand and a plate of food in the other hand.

24 Conduct meetings online.

25 When travelling - Suitcase.
Keep a stroller or suitcase or white cane or walking stick in front of you. Have another large backpack or suitcase on wheels behind you.

26 Travel in a wheelchair. Request a wheelchair at an airport. Keeps people at a neight, at a distance and speeds you past the queue or, as the Americans say, line-up.

27 Wear a large hat with the word China on it. Or a tee-shirt featuring a Chinese city. Also keeps a seat free next to you when on the bus or train.

28 Copy the Chinese in Wuhan and Hubei. Cover your face with a plastic bag with holes or a half of grapefruit.

29 Tip A High Hat

30 Curtsey
Michelle Obama did this with a child.

31 Wear a fancy dress mask

32 Wear workplace goggles

32 Air kiss

33 Pirate's ahoy

34 Wink

35 Raise glasses in a toast

36 Carry a large bunch of flowers and/or prayer book (bride)

37 Arm stretch salute

Stay safe

Author
Angela Lansbury, President of Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club, Singapore. Area S3 director. Member of Harrovians Toastmasters Club, UK. See previous post on not shaking hands. Please bookmark and share your favourite posts.

Coronavirus Precautions In Singapore

Singapore flag.

Chinese new Year is over but people are still celebrating Lo Hei, gathering around a communal plate and tossing mixed vegetables and fish in the air for good luck. It is a Singaporean idea.

I notice helpful helpers passing around chopsticks. I preferred to take my own plate and chopsticks, rather than one handled by somebody else.

I twice declined to shake hands and did namaste instead.

Finally, I forgot. However, afterwards I washed my hands.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Coronavirus Masks in Singapore and Free Masks, precautions, and info worldwide

Coronavirus started in China but is spreading worldwide.


Thursday March 30 2020

The Good News
I see noticeably more masks being worn in Singapore.Three different toastmasters clubs are sending me updates on WhatsApp.

I declined to shake hands at a Toastmasters Club and instead did a namaste greeting. I bowed my head and brought together the palms of my hands.

On the MRT, at Cashew MRT, I saw a man wiping down the places where you touch 'tap in' your MRT travel card.

The government plans to distribute masks for free, from Saturday February 1st. Four masks for each household. More on request when needed.

You pick up your masks from local Community Centres, showing your ID which lists your home address.

My husband asked me, 'How can you speak at a Toastmasters club if you are wearing masks?'

I replied, 'You can wear your masks in public places, as you walk through the building, and when sitting next to somebody. You take off your mask when you are in the centre of the stage well away from others.'

Masks only last effectively 24 hours.
The government website I looked at said wear a mask only if you are sick.
I presume this saves the masks for when you need them.

I am glad I joined Singapore Online Toastmasters Club.

Around the world
Cruise ship grounded
Taxi driver in China wearing complete hazmatcombat kit
Plane Passenger wearing cycling helmet
Airport passengers in China wearing cut off giant plastic bottles upturned on their heads
Dogs in masks

Useful Information From The Web
SINGAPORE
Information from the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH)
www.moh.gov.sg
https://go.gov.sg/whatsapp
https://www.gov.sg/article/masking-up-how-and-when-you-should-do-it
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Singapore

Information from newspapers
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/wuhan-virus-every-household-in-singapore-to-get-4-masks-collection-starts-on-feb-1

UK
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7947315/Scientists-develop-vaccine-Chinese-coronavirus.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

USA
Map regularly updated showing new sources and cases.
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

WHO
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

Travel
singaporeair.com

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Introducing yourself with names, handshakes, namaste, and claiming your tickets

When I first went to Asia, specifically Singapore, I was stressed by lost restaurant and hotel bookings and discovered these vital things:

BUSINESS CARDS ARE SOMETIMES VITAL, ALWAYS HELPFUL
1 You must hand over a business card with both hands.

2 You do not put somebody else's card in a back pocket which you sit on.

3 An office receptionist wants your card so she can check she is not inadvertently sending an office junior to meet the CEO or vice versa but can match you up with the correct department and level of expertise and status.

4 People want your card in order to pronounce your name, remember it, and find some subject to discuss, such as, "Where did you do your degree," or, "Oh I see you were in England. I studied there. My son is studying there now."

5 You need a business card to hand quickly to somebody on a us or train when you or they leap off on reaching your stop, no time to write it out.

6 Many people have unpronounceable names, so they use a Western nickname, ideally using their initials or a name which starts with the same letter.

7 Chinese names start with the family or clan name, then secondly the 'first' or given or personal name.

8 A hotel or airline may think your first name is your surname. We several times tried to check into a hotel or onto an airline which claimed to have no record. When we were able to persuade the receptionist to let us check the list we were able to identify the problem.

9 People overseas do not know which is your first name and which is your surname, nor how to address you. A common question is, "How do I address you?"


Photo from wikipedia in article on Namaste.

10 Namaste
Namaste as a Hindu greeting. Namaha is bow and te is you. This greeting is said in Parts of Nepal, depending on the tribe, as well as in India.

As a hands together greeting you will find it from all sorts of people in all Asian countries, people wearing religious dress, especially women, airline staff, restaurant staff, hotel staff.

If you want to avoid touching other people's sweaty hands by shaking hands before eating from a buffet at a hotel or meeting, you can put your hands together in a namaste as you enter a room. Then  bow in greeting to various people, without embarrassing them by avoiding their proffered hand.

If you are running a meeting, carry a tray of drinking water and nod in greeting and wear a badge and say your name and ask the other person's name. That prevents your attempting to shake hands with people who don't shake hands.

Pronouncing Names Correctly
Consult the guest list in advance, or when signing in. Ask how to pronounce any unfamiliar names. If you are running an event, prepare name badges from your guest list. Read the names aloud and practise saying them. You can look up the people on Facebook or Linked in so that you recognise them. You could even put them in your contacts list.

As a hotel guest, you can check out the hotel manager or reception staff. This can provide their name, ensure you know who to greet. You could say something relevant, like, "Good evening Mr Wong. You must be the manager. I recognize you from your Facebook page. I saw you greeting the prime minister when the hotel opened last year."

If you later, want to move to a room overlooking the pool, or get an upgrade, you already know the manager, and feel at ease approaching him (or her). He (or she) already knows you and feels well disposed towards you.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.  

Etiquette rules for you to follow in Asia and The West

In Asia the first things I learned were:

1 Beckoning
Beckon a taxi with  your hands palm down like patting a dog.

2 Business Cards
Present your business cards with both hands and a nod or slight bow. Receive a business card with both hands and a nod or slight bow.

3 V Signs
Winston Churchill made the V for victory sign popular in WWII.

Wikipedia article on V-sign. Photo in the public domain.

Asians are keen on V signs. With the palm facing forward, that's V for victory. Japanese girls use it as a peace sign.

I never make a V sign in case I get it wrong or the sign is misinterpreted. In Europe a V-sign with the palm towards yourself means up yours.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking thumbs up. Photo from Wikipedia article on hitchhiking. Photo author Drozd.

4 Right Hand Only
Asians who eat with their hands eat with their right hand in the food.
The left hand is reserved for going to the toilet.

5 Hand Shaking, Bowing and Namaste
In the US, UK and most of Europe, you shake hands on meeting somebody new or entering a meeting, greeting the Toastmasters of the day, and leaving the stage and welcoming the Toastmaster of the day or evening to take over, signing and sealing a business deal, often on congratulating somebody for winning a prize, and on leaving and saying goodbye.

Photo from Wikipedia article on Namaste: An Oberoi Hotel employee doing Namaste, New Delhi. Photo author Saptarshi Biswas on Flikr.

Namaste
Namaste is holding both hands together as if in prayer and nodding as a greeting.

Bowing
The Japanese bow. Men sometimes keep their arms to their sides as they bow. Women fold their hands as they bow. Sometimes men hold their hands as they bow.

The West - Europe
UK
A pupil should not address a teacher as Miss, but by their proper name.
In the UK small children who would struggle with surnames may call adult women Aunty and the first name.
In Singapore, the prefix, Uncle or Aunty, is a sign of respect and warmth towards an older person.
However, in the UK you would not call an adult stranger uncle or auntie, wich incplies they are related to you. Nor would you call an older person Grandad can be an insult, implying they are a grumpy old man.

Kissing
The French will kiss other on or near the cheek, not lips on lips, but kissing the air beside your cheek, as a greeting.

Thumbs Up

Thumbs Up - Numbers
A thumb up is one in the UK but five in Japan.

OK
The OK  or round sign formed by the thumb tip and next finger is OK in the USA but rude in several other countries. Rather than learning which countries, forgetting and getting it wrong, just avoid using the OK sign.

Useful Websites
Japanese etiquette
https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0000211/

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.
Author of Etiquette For Every Occasion. You can buy it from Amazon or Ebay, new or second hand. If you read it, please give me a review. I have other posts on etiquette around the world. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.