Marhaba.... Marhabteen...

Typical greetings between two Arab persons go like this:

1: Marhaba.... (Hello)
2: Marhabteen.. (Hello)
1: Keefak... (How are you?)
2: Zen.. Alhamdulilah... (Good. Thanks be to God.)
1: Shu akhbarik? (How are you? in other terms perhaps)
2: Tamam. Alhamdulilah. (Very well. Thanks be to God)
1: Shu akhbar el bayt? (How's the house?)
2: Zeneen. Alhamdulilah. (they are well, thanks be to God)
1: Shu akhbar ayleh? (How's your family?)
2: Zeeneen.. (They are well.)
1: Shu akhbar awlad? (And how are your kids?)
2: Wakhneen.. (They are naughty.)
1: Shu akhbar kul shi? (How is everything?)
2: Kul shi zen.. (Everything is fine.)
2: Shloonek... (How are you?)
1: Zen.. Zen... (Good. Good.)
2: Ahlan.. (Welcome/Hello.)
1: Ahlain... (Welcome/Hello again.)

And it goes back all over again. I love to listen to them because it probably takes fifteen minutes or more for them to greet each other.

Others have the typical nose brush for men, women have the beso-beso-beso and others can brush each other's cheeks for four or five times, depending on where they came from or what their origins are or social standing. (Do I ever say things right?)

Its a graceful way of greeting between persons. I would love to get used to this....