How to Enter and Exit Social Gatherings in Portuguese
The most stressful part of a Portuguese dinner party involves the first 30 seconds at the door. It is that chaotic moment when the door opens and you walk into a swirl of cheek kisses, coat-taking, and overlapping greetings.
This arrival feels like a choreographed dance where everyone knows the steps except you.
I wrote about the broader rules of expected behavior in my article on [[navigating-portuguese-social-etiquette|navigating social etiquette in a new country]], but in this one, I want to focus strictly on getting you through that front door without freezing up.
I used to panic in this moment, awkwardly...