Greeting Customs In India

washing the feet

Our planet earth is divided into many different countries which have many different races of people, different customs, and different manners. Each country has its own way of greeting people when they go to another’s house.
I am an Indian and I come from New Delhi, the capital of my country, India. India consists of many different kinds of people. There are lots of different religions so there will be lots of different cultures and customs. Unfortunately I don’t know the custom of every state. But I can tell you one thing about all Indian people. Having a guest come to our home is a very big thing for us. In fact some say that guests are like God for them.
When guests come to visit, they get a lot of respect and caring from everyone in the family. The first thing we do when the guest is in the home is call every house member to meet the person. Then someone younger in the family has to wash the feet and hands of the guests in a big bowl of water and then dry them. Then we serve food at the table. We make the person sit down first at the dining table. Nobody can start eating food until the guest takes a bite of his share. After he is done eating, his plate will be taken away and he’ll be given one bowl and a mug of water at the table to wash his hands. This custom is not only practiced in India. We practice this customs in the U.S, too. If you come to my house, I will wash your feet too.
China is a beautiful country and has an interesting culture and manners. According to senior Caizhen Li, if any guests go to their house they want the person to feel that her family has a good relationship with them. “ The first thing we do for the guest at home is give them something to drink or anything they want, “ Caizhen said. All the younger people in the family have to greet them and show respect to them.
For Egyptians, guests are just like a blessing in their house and they treat them very respectfully, according to sophomore Ahmed Heiba. “In Egypt if people go to someone else’s house, they do not enter inside the house until the house keeper comes to the door and tells them to come in," said Ahmed. Guests of any age do not differ in how they are treated. “No matter who comes, young or old a guest is guest,” Ahmed added.
Senior Ashley Jurinka said that in American houses having a guest is “kind of a big thing.” She said they respect every guest who visits them. “The first thing we do when a guest is inside the house is introduce ourselves, and then we ask them if they need anything,” she said. She also said that the age of the guest matters. They treat young guests differently from older guests. They usually like to clean the house before anyone comes. “If the house is not up-to-date and someone is already home, then we feel embarrassed in front of the guest,” she said. If the guest is going to stay they also help by carrying the luggage in to their room.