Kissing

HERE IS A GOOD VILLAGE SCAPE PICTURE OF SNEGIRI. IT IS A GREAT LITTLE TOWN THAT HAS MANY NICE PEOPLE AND BECAUSE IT IS SMALL I OFTEN SEE PEOPLE I KNOW WHEN GOING TO THE STORE OR SOMEWHERE CLOSE. 

Well yesterday I went to church at the Baptist church in Dedovsk. The people there are so nice and they like seeing me, it is like I am there token American or something (which is totally fine by me). I have noticed that the men often shake hands and put their faces together for a kiss. I had heard about this strange phenomenon from my friend Brian Ewing who had some big bushy bearded Russian try to smack lips with him once ( I believe Brian chickened out and pulled back) However I had decided that if I was going to live in this culture, I do as the Romans do, or I guess it's Russians in this case. So I'll set the stage for you: There I was standing in church. I saw a man named Andrei coming towards me, almost as if in slow motion. I had to brace myself for what was about to happen. We clasped hands, and with this, there was no turning back. He started to reach his face towards mine as if to say "Oh no you silly American, you aren't getting away from this!!!" But I was ready for him and actually moved forward myself to show I was not scared. We pecked lips like you do in the fourth grade when someone dares you to kiss your crush during the recess after lunch and you have pudding on your breath. And as quickly as it began... it was all over. We talked and shared stories with each other and drank tea together. I have had many culture shocks since first coming to Russia, however kissing a grown man might very well take the cake as the strangest. Does anyone reading this have any stories of being in a foreign country and doing something like this? I would be interested to hear what other funny traditions exist out there.

A TOTALLY UNRELATED PICTURE OF A SLAVIC CHURCH IN MY TOWN. STILL QUITE A PRETTY BUILDING AND INSIDE THERE IS ALL KINDS OF PLANTS THAT PEOPLE LAY ON THE GROUND (LIKE HAY, LONG GRASS, WILLOW) I AM NOT SURE WHAT THIS IS FOR.