The protocols for bowing in Asia are far more complicated and confusing than most Westerners, me included, can possibly understand. In Japan the meaning of a bow totally depends on the situation, depth, and length of time you hold your bow. Types of bow include the “Nod Bow,” which is about 5 degrees, the “Greeting Bow,” which is about 15 degrees, the “Respect Bow,” about 30 degrees and the “Highest Respect Bow,” which is an uncomfortable 45 degrees. When you’re born into a culture that’s been working out these details for a couple of thousand years, it’s all pretty clear. When you’re born in a Baptist hospital in ... [Read More]