Was It Rude To Say Hello To Him?
My husband and I attended a wedding yesterday at the local public golf course at Gold Mountain. As we were walking up to the building , we passed three Japanese gentlemen walking towards their cars with their clubs and carts. Maybe it is because I used to work as a lobby attendant in a resort hotel where I got used to greeting people from all walks of life. Anyway, as the last man was passing us, he made eye contact with me enough that I just said, “Hello”. He seemed (to me) to be pleasantly surprised and with a smile and a slight bow, he said hello back to me. 
My husband was appalled and said that it was rude of me to say hello to this Japanese man, because in their country it is considered rude to even look them in the eye or initiate conversation. The reason my husband commented, and voiced his opinion about it, is because he has been to Japan for his job with the shipyard. Right now, many of our Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (NBK) personnel are working off-station in , Japan, and there have been strict guidelines for living and working in that country. When in Rome, as it were….
My reaction to his admonishment was that I am not in Japan. Rather, I am in my own country, and it is my custom to say hello to people to be friendly. I don’t feel I did anything rude. What do you think?
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I think you were right to say hello. As you say, it is a different country and he would be aware of this and not be offended.
Doesn’t his initiation of eye contact suggest that your ‘hello’ was not unwelcome?
I agree with you, Carol. I think that the customs and etiquette of the host country should apply. If you were in Japan, it may be different, but not in your own “house”. I mean, should you have walked 3 paces behind your husband too? Should you wear a cover over your face so as not to offend any Shiite golfers?
Since the man made contact with you, smiled, and responded, I’d say he has assimilated into our culture sufficiently enough to understand and respect our culture and respond in kind. Had you been in Japan….but you weren’t, so I think you were right.
Twitter: yellowmagpiecom
When in Rome do as the Romans do. Simple maxim. You were right.
Otherwise if enough people starting follow the traditions of other countries that the traditions of their own country will be lost.