One Hello

One of the most interesting things about travelling is getting to know the place, and getting to know the people.  In my travels, I have met many friendly faces...smiling faces...and I feel bad not knowing how to say hello in their language. For me, trying to speak their language, at least the very basic words (like "hello") is one way of honoring their culture. 

But saying hello is not merely a greeting-- it can be slightly complicated in some places. For some cultures, how you say it depends on the gender, age, status in the society, religion or culture of the person you are talking to. 

So...how do we say hello...let me count (some of) the Asian ways.

In Bangladesh, you say Salaam Aleykum ( which means "Peace be unto you.") or Salaam (Peace) when greeting a Muslim. Namaskar is used when greeting Hindus. Touching is not common so when doing the greeting, you either fold your hands or touch the forehead (when greeting Salaam).

In Bangladeshi costume..during an event in Dhaka, Bangladesh

In Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country, the phrase As-Salam-u-Alaikum, is used. It means the same as Bangladesh' Salaam Aleykum. As-Salam-u-Alaikum is used when you are the first one to greet, but when you are responding to someone who greeted you first, you respond by saying Wa'alaikum Salaam ( "And upon you, peace"). There are also variations when greeting one male, one female, two people, multiple females and so on- but As-Salam-u-Alaikum will do in most situations.

Pakistan, with a Nepalese friend. 

Namaste is common way of greeting in the Indian subcontinent and this is used in India, and Nepal. Namaste means, "I bow to the divine in you" or "may our minds meet". When doing the namaste, the hands are put together infront of the heart,  with a very slight bow of head, to extend friendship, love, respect and humility. Namaste is used to greet someone older or an equal, but not someone younger.  Namaskar the more respectful form of namaste. 

Beautiful Nepalese village

The countries by the Mekong river, such as Cambodia, Laos and Thailand also put their hands together and slightly bows when greeting hello. Touching is considered rude, specially if you do not know each other.

The Cambodians do the sampaeh, or they place their hands together, with palms touching and bow their heads, when doing a formal greeting or if it is the first time to meet.  The formal greeting is "Choump reap sor".  An informal greeting does not involve doing the sampaeh and the phrase "Susaday"  is used. My Cambodian friend told me that where you put your sampaeh and how high or low you bow , depends on who you are talking to.  The lower the bow, the more respect you show.  Forehead level sampaeh is for the gods, eyebrow level is for monks and king, nose-level is for parents, older relatives and teachers, below the mouth-level is for bosses and older people,  chest level is for people of the same age and position.

Temples in Cambodia

In Laos, they also press their palms together to do the Nop. Similar to a sampaeh, the higher the nop, the greater the respect, except that the hands are never held above the nose level.  In a nop, the bow is slight and done together with a slight bend of the knees and a smile.  The nop is a deference to the "social order".  The person considered as socially inferior or younger is the first to nop.  When doing the nop for people of higher social standing and monks, the hands are held infront of the nose.  When doing the nop for people of equal social status, the hands are held at mouth level, or at chin level when addressing younger or people of "lower" social status.  The Laotian word for hello is Sabaidee or Sabaideebor which means  "Are you well?".

In one of the Laotian Buddhist temples

In Thailand, they do the wai, which is the same as the Laotian nop, along with the greeting "Sawatdi" or "Sawasdee".  "Sawatdi kha" is the more polite phrase to use when greeting a female while  "Sawatdi khrap"    is for greeting a male person. Sawatdi means all the good things like success, beauty, happiness and goodluck. 

Exploring the old capital city of Ayutthaya with a friend from Ecuador

The Philippines, unlike their Southeast Asian neighbors do not do the bow.  Filipinos greet "Kumusta ka?", which comes from Spain's "Como esta?".  One of the old practices is the mano, where  the younger ones presses  his or her forehead on the elder's hand to accept a blessing from the elder.  While doing the gesture, they say "Mano po" which means "Your hand please".  Mano is again another Spanish word, which means "hand". 

One of the old churches built during the Spanish time in the Philippines

In Indonesia "Apa Kabar" (How are you?) is used in informal situations.  In a more formal setting, "Selamat Pagi" (Good morning) is used if it is day time.  "Selamat Siang" or "Selamat Sore" is used if it is afternoon or night time, respectively. 

The gave me a welcome dance in Soe, Indonesia..nice people!!

In Timor Leste, owing to Portuguese legacy, greeting people, even strangers is common, using Portuguese greetings.  Bondia is used if it is morning, Boatardi is used after lunch and Boanoiti. Ola (Hello) is also used. Shaking hands likewise common or women kissing both cheeks, or air on both sides of the face.  

Market scene in Aileu district

In China, "Ni hao" is the Mandarin equivalent of an informal "hello".   "Nin hao", is the more formal form.  "Nimen hao" is for greeting a group of people. 

By the mother of all rivers in China, the Yellow River, with a Chinese friend.

Different phrases, different gestures.  One hello. One humanity.