LOOK ME IN THE EYE! Image courtesy of bittersweetmixology

In a country where it’s a social norm to give a cheek kiss even when they first meet,

(although I’ve never quite worked out whether it’s a handshake or a kiss, since whenever I held my hand out it’d be totally ignored and the person in question would give me a kiss on the cheek instead, while other times when I leaned forward to kiss someone’s cheek I would have to embarrassingly receive the hand..! Someone please enlighten me here.)

and eye contact is so important that it could make or break a deal, since your trustworthiness entirely rests on your ability to connect with your eyes, it is funny that Colombians can’t help but stare at your glass when they make a toast.

This is really puzzling to me as I can’t figure out why the glass!? I have indeed popped this awkward question before, to which the reply was, ‘I had to be careful not to break your glass.’ *shocked face* WHAT? The fact that Colombians should think they have the very mild superpower to break a glass or two when they toast is confounding.

For a country famous for their Latin love, salsa passion and body contact when they dance, this is indeed very peculiar, to say the least.

Please. Can I plea for some eye contact when we toast, please!? Show me some love!