Etiquette: the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.
Faux Pas: a social blunder.
We've all been there--social gatherings or functions that demand our best behavior. We pull out all our proper etiquette skills in our effort to show respect, intelligence (or at least not our lack thereof), sophistication and whatever else have you. Basically, we don't someone, or even ourselves, to be embarrassed by our gaucheness.
As hard as we try, sometimes, just sometimes, our adroit maneuvers fail us.... as I found out the hard way.
Now, I have been to several functions, requiring the upmost adherence to proper etiquette. Usually I walk away unscathed by any embarrassing blunders. But not always...
Did you know that in Brazil, when you leave the home after being a guest, that the guest does not open the door? Instead, the guest waits for the invitee to open the door, permitting the guests departure. AND, do you know that if the guest opens the door, the belief is that he/or she never wants to go back to the invitee's home again? Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way. Even after I tried to remedy my blunder, my maladroitness shouted loudly that day.
So! Should you ever be in Brazil, may you learn to avoid this faux pas by learning this lesson from my mistake. Wait for the host to open the door.... that is unless they put a broom behind the door to signify that you are no longer welcome.
Macacos me mordam!
J
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