To Bow or Not to Bow...

That is the question.
Of course, if you're a Fox News pundit talking about the President of the United States, the answer is a resounding No.


Luckily, I'm no pundit, but I can say that I actually put a lot of value in respecting the customs of other cultures. That's why while living and working in Japan, we have tried to learn and respect some of the Japanese customs. Bowing, however, has been one of the toughest.

Before leaving for Japan, I asked my friend at work who had lived in Japan for a time and has married into a Japanese family how to properly bow. He started to explain, but then quickly stopped and told me not to even bother. He said that foreigners just end up looking funny and awkward. I suppose it's bit like a bad handshake in American culture - you know the limp handshake?

Bowing is, of course, deeply ingrained in the Japanese culture for greetings or good-byes. Often times at work, the end of a meeting is met with everyone bowing. I still have yet to partake, not wanting to give a "limp" bow. There just seem to be a lot of rules to it - where to put your hands, keep your legs straight, and most importantly, how far of an angle to bow to depends on the level of superiority, rank, etc.

As for Obama, I think he pulled it off rather admirably. Bowing to a Saudi king probably comes with a different standard of rules than bowing in Japan. But at least he came away showing a mutual respect for the king, which I suppose is the goal for any greeting in any culture.