As a city dweller for some considerable time, I have definitely perfected the behaviour of politely passing strangers in the street unacknowledged.

However, in the Falklands I am learning new customs (or relearning, because as a country child I knew how to do this).  To begin with, walking down the street I was prone to startle when someone I didn’t know said hello or good morning/afternoon.  5 months in, I’ve changed and happily reply in kind.

Interestingly, saying hello when passing is not confined to walkers – it extends to cars.  When I first arrived, I thought that the people giving me lifts knew an extraordinary number of people, as they waved away at passing vehicles – but I quickly learnt, it’s the custom to acknowledge any passing car.

There are a variety of techniques – firstly you need to wave far enough away that the other person can see it.   If you wait for them to wave before responding, it’s generally too late and you’ve gone past them and look rude. 

Once you’ve got the hang of when to wave, you have a number of choices about how to do it.

• There’s the madly enthusiastic – take your hand off the wheel completely and wave as if you’ve just seen your best friend;
• The moderate –  lift your hand just of the wheel momentarily and down again
• Minimalist – one finger extended forward from the wheel in a barely discernible gesture.

I’m not brilliant at this – I’m often a bit late but I’m learning and I think by the end of my first year I’ll be a pro.