Body Language 10-21-13

If you come to Burundi, there are a couple of things you should know before you come.

When I first got here, I noticed how friendly the people were.  I would wave and them, and sometimes they would run up to greet me or run to the car I was in!  I found out later, some of that may have been because I was asking them to come.  If you hold your hand up like your waving, and bend your fingers, it literally means, "Come."  So, before you come, you may want to practice the princess wave...wave without bending your fingers.

Although people were friendly and happy to meet you, sometimes I would get frustrated when I asked questions, and a person didn't respond.  In America, we may nod our head to say "Yes" or shake our head to say "No."  In Burundi, someone may have said, "Yes" to a question you asked, you just didn't see it.  Here, if someone raises their eyebrows then drops them, it means "Yes."

When you greet someone, you often shake hands when you first see them and shake hands when you depart.  It's common in Burundi and probably other parts of Africa to brace the elbow of your shaking had with the hand of your left elbow.  This shows respect to the person you are greeting.  Also, don't be surprised if the person you talk to wants to hold your hand for awhile.