Pepe's Chile

A Gringo's Culture Guide to Chile

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Home » Chile Culture » Chilean Traditions

Chilean Traditions

Chileans have their traditional way of doing things that is a little different from what I experienced back home.

Greetings

Male Chileans will greet each other with a handshake if they are unfamiliar with each other. A man greeting a woman, or two woman meeting will greet with a kiss on the cheek. More informal relationships lead to greetings with a big hug (un abrazo) for men and a kiss on the cheek for women.

Pointing with the Lips

Instead of pointing with the index finger, Chileans will sometimes use their lips to point. Lips are puckered and pointed in the direction of interest. This is very convenient when you have your hands full. Pointing with the lips can indicate a single direction, or moving the lips can indicate a motion or larger area.

Daily Life

Chilean traditions are manifested every day in their lives. These can be seen with:

  • traditional foods and meals
  • holiday celebrations
  • how Chileans speak

Read about more Chilean traditions and daily life in the Gringo’s Culture Guide to Chile.

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The Gringo’s Culture Guide to Chile is designed to help you understand Chileans, their culture, food, language, and daily life so you can enjoy your time in this beautiful country and not be blindsided by culture shock.

Read The Gringo’s Culture Guide to Chile

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