How are you?

What will you say when someone say 'How are you?'

I am quite certain you will respond 'fine' and sometimes you will also say 'how about you' and

sometimes you don't

It is commonly known that from elementary school to university what Indonesian students have

learned about greeting is only the expression 'how are you'

no wonder when another expression is introduced, they will face difficulty in giving a good

response

in their mind, there is no response for some expressions such as

'how's life?'

'how is it going?'

'how's life treating you?'

'what's up'

The provement for this fact can be found in my classes

whenever I greet them by using expression other than 'how are you?'

they will keep silent

and when I repeat my greeting 'how are you?'

they will give a quick response

'fine'

Fiuu......... what a student