Cultural Dos and Taboos
1. Punctuality involves different and conflicting rules in Bolivia. Although business meetings may not begin on time and locals may arrive a few minutes late, visitors should adhere to the rules of expected punctuality. Alternatively, for social occasions such as dinner parties at a home, one is expected to be fifteen to thirty minutes late. The exception to the social rule involves luncheons or scheduled events such as the opera or theater where being on time is required.
2. Always make appointments for meetings well in advance, and take note of cultural and seasonal periods when offices or businesses may not be open for several weeks, such as Christmas.
3. In business dealings, the personal dimension is very important, so try to establish a warm relationship with Bolivian colleagues. Also, expect all negotiations to have a slow pace of progress. As in the case of many Latin cultures, taking time to build a rapport is central to success.
4. With regard to greetings, shake hands firmly. Among close friends, male friends tend to shake hands or embrace upon meeting. Across the genders, men generally kiss close female friends while female friends usually kiss each other. A pat on the shoulder is considered a friendly gesture.
5. Forms of address are important and titles should be used respectfully.
6. Body space, like other parts of Latin America, is much smaller than elsewhere. Bolivians stand next to one another and converse together in closer areas of space together do others. Try not to instinctively back up or avoid eye contact; make the effort to culturally adjust to this difference.
7. The gesture that some North Americans use to mean "so-so" (twisting the flat, open hand from side to side) indicates "no". Bus and taxi drivers use this gesture to indicate that their vehicles are full. Street vendors use it to indicate that they have no more of something.
8. Avoid eating on the street as it is considered to be a vulgar practice and be sure to cover your mouth when either yawning or coughing. When dining at a table, use the proper utensils at all times and adhere to proper dining manners.
9. When invited to a home, bring a gift of exotic flowers, fine chocolates, or quality wines and whiskeys.
10. Avoid discussing controversial topics such as politics unless you are well versed and informed about Latin American issues. Also, expect some strange sensibilities in regard to ethnicity. There is a cultural divide between Bolivians of indigenous (campesinos) Indian ancestry and those of Spanish heritage; the latter group does not enjoy being mistaken for the former group. There are a myriad of cultural and social factors that are involved in this complicated issue and unless one has a deep anthropological understanding of the topic, it might be advisable to avoid it altogether.
11. Business attire in Bolivia is conservative, and suits for both women and men are advised. In warmer weather or areas, women are not always expected to wear hosiery and men may discard neckties or jackets. Take cues from locals in this regard. Shorts or other forms of casual and revealing clothing should be avoided, although elegant-casual wear is the best choice for non-business settings. Formal events such as the theater or cocktail parties may involve proper suits for men and cocktail or evening gowns for women.