As I sit here stuck at the SIT building due to the massive storm outside I thought I'd show you a little bit about the basics of being in Senegal. Below is a list of "Cultural Tips" we got in our orientation packet. It barely skims the surface of things we need to keep in mind here, but I thought it would be interesting to show you just a little bit about some do's and don'ts. Take note, so that when you all come to visit me (right?!?) you'll be one step ahead.
Senegal 101:
- Always greet people with an "assalaam alekum, nanga def!" before proceeding in the conversation
- Even on the telephone, greetings are important
- When entering a room, always greet everyone and shake his/her hand
- Some men will not shake a woman's hand
- Be aware of using (or better yet not using) your left hand
- To show respect, do not look elders directly in the eye
- Learn people's names!
- Do not tell mother their kids are cute (it's bad luck- the cuteness could disappear)
- Likewise do not acknowledge that a woman is pregnant
- Be ready for people to ask personal questions and to be blunt about appearance
- Be ready to be touched a lot. Senegalese are not afraid to show physical affection
- When people are praying, do not walk in front of them
- When people are sitting on a mat, or even if they are not, do not walk on it
- Pay attention as to when people remove their shoes and follow suit
- Do not smell food, it's disrespectful
- Animals are not to be pet or cuddled
- When someone comes to visit you, walk them all the way to the sidewalk when it comes time for them to leave
