"eres gringa?"

Today in clinic a little girl looked up at me with curious eyes and asked "Eres gringa?"  (translation:  Are you a gringa?).  For those of you who have not traveled in Latin America, gringo is a term used for North American, pale with a camera around the neck, I'm going to bring a sombrero home with me type people... but somehow, in her sweet curiosity, it was very endearing.  I love how kids ask questions and say what's on their mind.

Another thing that I love-- the greetings here in Ecuador.  Everyone greets everyone else when they arrive, when they leave, even sometimes when they walk out of the room for a second.  In fact, one of the residents had a nanny here for her daughter, and the woman would say "Buen Provecho" (translation: bon apetit, enjoy, chow down) everytime she walked in and out of the kitchen during lunch... and that was at least 12 times per lunch.  That was kind of awkward.  But otherwise, I really like the greetings.  

I wonder why we don't have a cultural kiss in the US.  We just coldly, distantly shake hands, or give a head nod, or go about our business and don't greet each other.  Here it's the good ol classic one cheek kiss for everyone in the room to say "Good morning, goodbye, Thank you, See you tomorrow"... I've just grown to enjoy the affectionate customs of the culture here.  Watch out, I may kiss you on the cheek to say hi when I get back.  But seriously, I don't know if I'll ever be completely comfortable with my attending kissing me on the cheek to say, "Good work, clinic's done... now go home and read about polymyalgia rheumatica and VDRL titers and bronchodilators."  Still kind of weird to me.