Nice to meet you

I occasionally stumble across funny ingrained behaviors in myself that just make me chuckle.  Whenever I do these things I think to myself "you can take the girl out of America, but you can't take the America out of the girl."

When I am first introduced to someone in Japan, I am expected to bow and say polite greetings.  The bow isn't grand, more of a head bob, but it is part of the introduction ritual.  I cannot tell you how many times I have automatically stuck out my hand for a handshake.  We all laugh and sometimes the other person tentatively takes it for a moment or two.  Rarely is there an actual shake.  I am so embarrassed every time this happens, yet it happens again and again. 

Lately, I've noticed how much I wave to people.  It is not a popular behavior in Japan.  In fact, you only really see school girls doing it.  When I am walking my son to school everyday and I see the same people on our stroll, I often wave and say good morning (ohayogozaimasu / ohio go zai i mas).  They never wave back, but instead smile and return the verbal greeting with a little head bob.

One thing that I did start doing rather quickly was the hand gesture to call someone over.  To beckon someone, you should point your hand down, palm toward your body and then bring your hand toward your body.  I pretty much only use the American version (hand facing up and using arm as well as hand) with my son, but even that is getting more infrequent because I recently learned that the American version is only used for dogs and therefore considered very rude.

Old habits are hard to break - especially those ingrained in us since childhood - but it can be done.  I wonder what other things I do that make me stand out or behaviors that I have unconsciously acclimated to.