IT'S A CULTURAL THING

The drive to my aunt's house was always long and hot. My Dad drove a big cream colored impala with a giant back seat that I swear I could chase my sister around in and it had no A/C. The long ride wasn't nearly as bad or as stressful as what awaited when I arrived at any family get together though. In a traditional Hispanic family, the greeting was of utmost importance. When you arrived to a family members house, everyone was to greet everyone. If a cousin was locked away in his room playing Lock n Chase on his Intellivision, he would have been beaten if he didn't pause that game and come give his aunt and uncle a kiss! Same goes for when you arrive...if one of your uncles was making and ice run or your aunt was in the bathroom, don't think for a second you got away with one. About 15 minutes in, a "Double Check" was instituted by anyone who deemed it necessary and all the kids were asked if they said hello to the long list of family. Greetings are very important and it's up to the the kids to make it happen and then as you get older, the younger adult is in charge of making sure he greets the older adults first. It's like a status thing where the oldest people of a family already paid their dues and now it's the younger generations responsibility.

Introductions are very important in my culture. The importance of a greeting is so programmed into my brain that I sometimes get taken back a second when I am not immediately acknowledged when entering a scene on stage. I would sometimes make the mistake of stepping on my scene partners initiation by greeting him when he entered the scene before he could get his line out. He then figured because I spoke first with my greeting that I must have had an idea and then we would awkwardly take baby steps at trying to organically create a scene. I'd wonder why he walked on in the first place and he'd wonder why I didn't let him get his first line across? I know it's an improv show and I know you're not my aunt or uncle but think of it like a high five. I didn't grow up giving high fives so when we're doing a show and you initiate one, I immediately raise my hand and give you one up high. I didn't play little league with you and we didn't play on the same high school tennis team but I know it's something that you do when you do something great or something exciting happens.

I've taken the time to figure out some of your cultural things but I'm not asking you to figure out mine at all. I'm just letting you know that I don't mean to step on your initiation. I don't mean to get taken back a second when I enter a scene and am not immediately acknowledged. It's a cultural thing. Now give me a high five and lets go kiss my aunt and uncle!