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For travelers who get invited into a home as a guest, there are many tips to remember about the coffee and tea that will be served. The host will offer bitter, Arabic coffee known as ‘Gahuwa Murra’ in a very small coffee cup. As with the greetings for a group, coffee will be served first to whoever is on the right, and continue on to the right. The coffee that is served is will be very hot, so it is acceptable to drink it in about 4 or 5 sips. If you simply hand the cup back to the person who poured the coffee, you will be given another cup.
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The traditional limit on cups of coffee that you should drink is 3. If you have had your fill after one cup, you must shake the empty cup of coffee back and forth from right to left between two and four times before handing it to your host. This is the unspoken way to let them know you are finished with your coffee.
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An invited family member will put the coffee down and make a request. The coffee cannot be consumed until the request has been answered. Very shortly after the coffee has been served, very sweet tea, known as ‘shai’ will be served. There is no limit to how many cups of tea you are expected to drink. Your cup will be refilled as often as you empty it. If you have finished your tea, you can put your hand over the top of the cup when the hosts begin moving to refill your cup.
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If you do not drink your first cup of coffee, the hosts will think that you have come to ask something from them. This is actually how many marriage proposals begin.
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Before beginning a trip in a taxi, you should check to make sure the meter works or that it will be used. This can avoid a situation where you negotiate your price after the trip has happened and you end up paying much more than you should have.
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