In Reply to: Hugging? How to deal with it? posted by Jane B on Thursday, 13. July 2006 at 00:58 Bali Time:
The following happened with people who have never received money or gifts from me for any reason.
The first time when a lady laughed so much at a situation she just reached out and gave me a huge spontaneous hug.
The next time was when someone i'd got to know a bit (Balinese healer) reached out and gave me a big hug as i was leaving.
Both times i was completely taken by surprise and both times it was a hug from a woman to a woman.
I've never seen my husband hugged by Balinese, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
A little boy liked to give my hand a light kiss as a goodbye.
Never been hugged by a man. They have formally shaken my hand and, something i'd never come across until last trip, after shaking my hand on leaving them a couple of men put their hand on their chest. I thought they were wiping their hand after touching mine. These were men i knew socially perhaps as friends.
When it happened more times with the same people, i asked. They were simply touching the spot where their heart is located, to wordlessly let me know, that's where i live now.