Belize

Greetings

For men greeting men – Men in typically have a simple oral exchange which would be accompanied by a handshake in a formal or semi-formal setting. If the men have had prior dealings or know each other well, they might also pat a shoulder or initiate some similar physical contact in greeting each other.

For women greeting women -, women similarly tend to have an oral exchange or shake hands if the meeting takes place in a formal or semi-formal setting. If the women have had prior dealings or know each other well, then the greeting might also involve hugs and perhaps a brief touching/ cheek to cheek or a light kiss on the cheek.

For meetings between men and women – The manner of greeting in meetings between men and women would be the same as between men greeting men and women greeting women in formal or semi-formal settings. Oral exchanges or a handshake would be the norm. Greetings between men and women once the individuals develop greater familiarity or a working relationship might also be expanded to a light hug, a brief touching of cheeks or even a light kiss on the cheek.

Note: The manner of greeting between men and women would be different in rural Maya communities where Maya traditions are maintained. In the traditional Maya culture, men and women tend not to engage in significant social interaction. Men assume a dominant role as the head of the household and women’s activities are focused upon the child rearing and household duties.

Communication Style

• Belizeans tend not to be direct or get to the point quickly. They also dislike confrontation. Typically, any dialogue or meeting will begin first with an exchange of small talk, which would begin by saying “good morning” or “good afternoon” or the like and might cover some neutral subjects such as weather or a vague inquiry about each others general well-being.
• When addressing issues the propensity is to use a rather formal framework that may entail first defining historical background, relevant documents, and the like, or even outline how the issue will be approached before zeroing in on the topic at hand.
• Generally, Belizeans will say what they mean in a tactful way but will avoid or be rather circumspect about communicating any negatives, consistent with their propensity to avoid confrontation.

Personal Space & Touch

• Belizeans do not seem to be uniquely sensitive in terms of personal space and do not seem to follow any discernable rules or protocols in terms of protecting or respecting personal space either personally or in business.
• In general, Belizeans do not seem to engage in a great deal of touching or patting of hands, arms or the like when speaking with one another and do not tend to engage in a lot of overt physical shows of affection even in the family setting.

Eye Contact

• Belizeans generally do not engage in direct eye contact when conversing. They do not look down or away, but do not tend to look others directly in the eye when speaking to them. This does not tend to differ in situations such as conversations with elders, a boss, etc.

Views of Time

• The phrase “ time” is commonly used by Belizeans because punctuality is not generally enforced in this country.
• The starting time for meetings is often set with the expectation that few people will arrive on time. If the agenda says 8:00 a.m., it would not be unusual for the meeting to actually start at 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. and attendees might still be coming in after the meeting has been called to order. This attitude toward punctuality prevails whether in business or social settings.
• Similarly, strict schedules are not followed by buses (the primary form of transportation in Belize, if one does not have access to a private vehicle, or cannot afford a taxi). In many instances, bus schedules are not formally posted, and even when posted, are not necessarily followed.

Gender Roles

• In the towns and urban areas, women are expanding their roles in government, education and business, although men still tend to hold the higher positions of authority in government and business. The expansion of women’s roles seems to be occurring as more women achieve higher levels of education.
  
• In the rural areas, women continue to accept a more traditional role of tending the house and the children. In traditional rural villages, women tend to marry or begin child bearing during their teenage years and families tend to be large. Maya women in the villages often continue to marry at 14 or 15, but Maya women who continue their education and delay marriage are moving away from the strict gender roles of traditional Maya.
• In terms of social mores, neither male/female friendships nor casual dating are the norm in Belize. If a woman goes out socially with an individual of the opposite sex and/or she is entertaining him in her home or apartment, it assumed that she is dating the man. If the woman is seeing/dating the man, he would expect that it is an exclusive relationship.
• Women are expected to be monogamous in relationships, but it is accepted and expected that men will seek multiple female relationships.
• In rural areas, women are held to a stricter code of conduct as compared to males. Such activities as drinking, going out alone at night, or hanging out with the opposite sex are frowned upon for women, but are socially acceptable for men.
• Belizean men tend to openly and aggressively flirt with women, particularly women walking down the street or traveling alone on public transportation. Their flirtation may include comments about the woman’s physical attributes and suggestive propositions.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is 18 in Belize. The law is not aggressively enforced, although some stores post signs that indicate a person purchasing alcohol must show an ID.
• does prohibit use of illegal drugs, which includes marijuana. The laws are not aggressively enforced and the criminal justice system is rather lax, in terms of seeking convictions and imposing penalties for illegal usage and sales of illegal drugs. That being said, if you are caught, expect heavy fines, lengthy jail sentences, and possibly worse.

Dress

• Dress for both men and women is typically casual.
• For Men - Men often wear cotton or khaki long pants and collared or knit shirts. Sandals (other than flip-flops) are acceptable.
• For Women - Cotton or khaki long pants, capri length pants and shirts or knit tops of all kinds. Sandals are acceptable.

Titles & Business Cards

• Belizeans tend to be somewhat formal in addressing each other in business and often use Mr., Mrs., or Miss (or Dr. when the individual has earned that designation) when addressing each other. Sometimes, the person will use the Mr. etc. with the first name rather than the last name.
• First names are used by typically among persons who are in the same relative business position. It is best to wait to be invited to address someone by their first name.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards.
  

Meetings

• Arriving on time for meetings is important even though you may be kept waiting.
• Beginning with small talk helps establish a base for the relationship, after which discussion of business matters can begin. It is best to allow your host to begin the business discussion.
• Appropriate small talk topics include: family, sports, Belizean and places of interest.
  
• Avoid talking and asking about politics, race, and religion.

Negotiations

• Decisions tend to be reached from the top down and can take awhile. Be prepared to have several meetings to reach a final decision.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are generally not expected in business situations.
• If invited to Belizean’s house, it is appropriate to wine, spirits, or some type of dessert.

In the Classroom

• The school year begins in September and ends in June. There are vacations during the Christmas season of about 2 weeks and during Easter of a week, plus the summer break between June and September.
• Dress is casual for both men and women. Jeans and tee-shirts are the norm. The are no formal dress codes in place.
• Letter grades are used at university level. A failing grade on a test would be 70 out of 100 percent, or F.
• Lecture is the most common teaching method used.