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Cultural Etiquette
Cultural Dos and Taboos
1. A warm handshake with direct eye contact is the customary form of greeting. Men will need to wait for a woman to extend her hand first if she wants her hand shaken. Friends and relatives will often greet each other with a kiss and/or a hug. Women kiss on both cheeks when greeting each other.
2. Always address people by their title and last name until invited to do otherwise. First names are appropriate among friends and younger people only. Always wait for your counterpart to initiate the use of first names or the use of the familiar forms of address.
3. Sports, culture, literature, dance music and travel make excellent topics of conversation. The visitor may wish to avoid initiating topics that concerning religion, politics or things of a personal nature.
4. Note that business is not usually discussed at social dinners, although business dinners at restaurants do occur frequently. Know the difference between a social occasion and a business lunch and expect differences in conversation accordingly.
5. There are many gestures used in daily conversation. Their significance may vary from region to region, so observe local behaviors, and ask if you are unsure. The A-O.K. gesture (making a circle of the first finger and thumb) and pointing with fingers are considered to be rude.
6. Try not to stand with your hands on your hips, as this will be perceived as a sign you are angry. While such aggressive stances are normal in North America, they do not translate well elsewhere.
7. If invited to dinner it is fine to bring a gift for the host or hostess. Exotic flowers in an impressive bouquet (not roses), expensive and imported chocolates, cognacs, whiskey and other upper tier brands of liquor make fine gifts. If you receive a gift, you should open it immediately and offer your thanks.
8. If you are invited out to lunch or dinner, be certain to reciprocate; however, do not mention that you "owe" the other person the favor.
9. Dining is formal in the Continental style with diners keeping wrists on the table and elbows off the table. The fork should remain consistently in the left hand and the right hand should be used in the right hand. The "fork flip-over" from left-to-right, common in North American usage, is inappropriate in Europe. Pay compliments to your host (and to the waiters in a restaurant).
10. The Portuguese are very conscious of self-presentation as it goes along with their concern for projecting an impression of good social position. Dress is generally casual but fashionable and one should always dress with good taste. Business attire is somewhat more orthodox, including suits for both men and women. Shorts should be confined to private homes and are not generally worn on the street.
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