During our training the Peace Corps spends some time trying to teach us things that Americans would naturally do that would be considered rude in Moldova. While I tried to pay attention, I am sure I have made a few mistakes and have done some thing(s) considered culturally insensitive. But this story is not about me.
My host father was telling me how it is common to bring with you some wine when you visit people in other countries since most Moldavians make wine at home. Many go to Romania or Russia with wine they made to share with friends and family or even sell.
My host father had a friend that went to Lithuania with some wine to visit friends. In Moldova it is common to fill everyone’s glass with wine, make a toast and then drink the whole glass of wine in one gulp (the glasses are smaller than normal wine glasses, usually). So this man did just that and everyone looked at him and called him a Russian. Apparently in Lithuania people sip their wine and “pick it up and set it down” on the table a few times before finishing it (as my host father said, here you don’t set the glass down until you've finish it).
My host father had a friend that went to Lithuania with some wine to visit friends. In Moldova it is common to fill everyone’s glass with wine, make a toast and then drink the whole glass of wine in one gulp (the glasses are smaller than normal wine glasses, usually). So this man did just that and everyone looked at him and called him a Russian. Apparently in Lithuania people sip their wine and “pick it up and set it down” on the table a few times before finishing it (as my host father said, here you don’t set the glass down until you've finish it).
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