This makes me laugh, my husband is from Plovdiv, we were married in the US in 2007.  In 2008 we traveled to Plovdiv for the first time, and this would be my first time meeting his parents.  They do not speak English and I don't speak Bulgarian.  So when we arrived at the airport, they gave me the hand-shake and I didn't know what to do. I'm a huger, always with my friends and family.  So at the end of the trip, I decided that we were hugging.....  It was none of that quick hug, it the long family hug my father always gave us.  I think my father-law was a little shock BUT when we returned at x-mas 2008 there was no hand-shake only hugs  :-)