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Cultural Etiquette
Cultural Dos and Taboos
1. Greetings should always include some interest in your acquaintances family and health. Always greet everyone in the room.
2. The left hand rules apply here. Do not take or give anything with the left hand. Do not eat with the left hand.
3. Traditional dinners will consist of eating from a common bow and people will eat with their fingers. In this situation, never let the fingers touch the lips or mouth.
4. Public displays of affection are frowned upon.
5. Women should not smoke or wear shorts in villages.
6. Always look at the person who is speaking to you. To glance about the room or
street with someone is speaking to you is very disrespectful.
Business Customs
Business decisions are often made by a group. Ugandans like discussing business issues with others before making decisions. Ugandans want to get to know people they are dealing with and beginnings of meetings are generally occupied with introductory conversation about people's backgrounds and families. Refreshments are served at business meetings. Good gift choices to bring from abroad would be business-related items such as the item the company makes or wishes to sell.
Ugandans are quite conservative in the way they dress. outlandish clothing or the exposure of large areas of one's body are uncommon. Women conventionally wear dresses; men wear business suits.
It is not uncommon for Ugandans to arrive late for an event, and for meetings to run over their scheduled time.
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