America vs Japan: High School greetings

The manner in which American high school students greet one another is initially the same as that of a Japanese high school students. Every morning as school starts you hear various "good mornings" echoing through the hall from person to person no matter which country you are in. However, this simple phrase is where the similarities stop.
A typical Japanese person will simply say the ritual "ohayou" then return to whatever they may be doing (which is usually studying for an upcoming test, or finishing any homework due that day). In some cases the "good morning" may be followed by comparing of homework between the two. Everyone arrives at school right as it is about to start so there really is very little before school socializing.

In an American high school, tests and homework are usually far from the students minds. The casual "good morning" is usually shouted across a lunchroom or a hallway and then quickly followed by the usual good morning hugs. When this exchange is between two girls then 3 out of 10 times the greetings are more of a shriek and the hugs usually consist of running across the classroom, hall, or lunch room to embrace wildly as if the hadn't seen each other in many years. As most of my friends are "theater people" my usual morning greetings everyday were an elaborate and noisy affair. Many people arrive at school long before school starts and use the extra time to socialize. Now I have to mention this, I attend a very small school (called a charter school) and the dynamics between the students is very different than at a normal school. This is probably the cause of this over-exaggerated student to student love. NOTE: I cannot speak for all schools as I have never attended a normal high school. All my comparisons of "American and Japanese high schools" is just my personal experience. It may not always be blunt fact.

One of my teachers asked me today what I think of Japan so far. I told him I love it here, everything is so amazing but there is just one thing I miss and that is hugs. My good morning hugs which were so casual before has now become the thing I miss most of all. I suppose I will become accustomed to this new idea of personal space, Japan certainly makes up for it in every other way possible. However, when I return, I want 50 hugs from everyone.