I smiled and said, “Marhaba” (Arabic for hello) to Labib, a man in our building. We had our usual daily exchange and he smiled as I said, “Ma’a salama” (Arabic for goodbye).
At the Tom Thumb (a local grocery store), I asked my checker who greeted me with a warm smile and a “hello” where her accent was from. She said, “The Netherlands” to which I quickly said, “Goeiemorgen” (Dutch for good morning). Her smile grew measurably. As she scanned my purchases, we conversed a bit more, and after I paid, I said, “Tot ziens” (Dutch for goodbye) and “doei” (Dutch for see you later.)
I love saying “Hi” to people; the bonus is when I can do it in their native tongue. Remember: just say “hi!”
Aloha,
Denise
