Chad

Greetings

Men greeting Men – A handshake is the most common form of greeting. It is important to shake all hands in the room if meeting a number of people at once.

Women greeting Women -A verbal greeting tends to be the norm, depending on the region.

Men and Women – Between Chadians, shaking hands would most likely not occur in social situations. A verbal greeting or nod of acknowledgment is generally the norm.

Note: ALWAYS use the right hand when greeting.

When greeting a group, shake hands eldest to youngest and men before women.

Communication Style

• Chadians will usually make small talk when beginning virtually every conversation. Things as simple as ‘How’s the family?’ ‘How’s the house?’ ‘How’s work?’ (Comment la famille, comment la maison, comment le travail?).
  
• Following this though, people tend to be direct, sometimes more so than Americans and other Westerners would consider polite.

Personal Space & Touch

• Chadians tend to stand quite close when speaking with one another. Less than an arm's length of personal space tends to be the norm.
• There tends to be a bit more distance between men and women during conversations.
• Male colleagues will often touch each other on the arm or shoulder while speaking to emphasize something or to be close. Women will do this as well, although perhaps not as much.
  
• In professional situations though, this isn’t the case. People stand close but avoid touching apart from a handshake.
  
• There tends to be limited touching between genders.

Eye Contact

• Eye contact is definitely important for foreigners, although it is possible that people will not always look you in the eye as a sign of respect.
• Overly direct eye contact may be viewed as rude and possibly a threat.

Gestures

• Beckoning is done with all fingers but the thumb, hand facing down pulling the fingers towards your palm.

Views of Time

• There is definitely a concept of ‘African Time,’ with things often starting much later than originally planned. Given this, being late isn’t always seen as rude, but if there’s a specific meeting, particularly with a foreigner, it’s best to shoot for promptness.
  
• People tend to give their time freely in both business and social situations.
• There are no scheduled bus services in Chad, and trains do not exist- local vehicles will almost always leave late.

Gender Roles

• Roles of women in society vary widely depending on the region.
  
• In the north, women tend to be marginalized in the same way as in much of the religiously conservative areas of the Arab/Muslim world.
• In the south, women generally have a higher status, but they are still very much second-class in many ways.
• Throughout, the majority of women work in the home. There is often a separation, with men and women eating and interacting separately.
  
• Among foreign women, there is more latitude, and they are often treated as ‘honorary men’ and given privileges Chadian women do not have.
• Women working in the north (and even occasionally in the south) may want to cover their heads as a sign of respect, along with long sleeves and skirts.

Taboos

• Pushing your hand forward with an open palm and all fingers out is a strong insult.
  
• Shaking hands with your left hand is seen as rude throughout the region, not only in Chad.
• is a very conservative culture; foreigners should avoid being intoxicated and/or smoking in public.
• It is considered rude to wear shorts anywhere outside the house.

Law & Order

• There is no legal drinking or smoking age in Chad.

• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
• All photography requires a government permit. Taking photos of military sites, official buildings, and airports is strictly prohibited, even with a permit. Such sites are not always clearly marked. Film and cameras may be confiscated, often by undercover police.

Dress

• For Men - If in the capital, N'Djamena, suits and ties are appropriate. Darker colors are the way to go. Business casual attire which could include a nice African print shirt and khakis will work in most situations as well. In the villages, dress it’s more relaxed.
• For Women - Conservative is a good choice. Generally an African-print complet (skirt and matching blouse) are a safe way to go. It’s probably best to avoid pantsuits, etc.
  Avoid wearing overly expensive accessories, dresses/skirts cut above the knee, and sleeveless attire.
• More casual attire may be appropriate in certain industries and locations. Avoid shorts and overly revealing clothing.

Titles & Business Cards

• It’s usually best to address people by their professional titles right away. People tend to stick to formality quite a bit, referring to officials by their titles as a respectful gesture.
• There is no set protocol with the giving and receiving of business cards as most people do not have cards. Always give and receive cards with the right hand.

Meetings

• It’s probably best as a foreigner to show up on time for a meeting, but don’t be surprised if you end up waiting.
• It is important to greet people by rank and be sure to shake everyone’s hand as a matter of respect.
• Small talk along the lines of ‘how’s the family?’ etc., is expected.
  
• It's best to let the person who called the meeting take the lead on getting down to business.

Negotiations

• On the local individual level bargaining is expected in market transactions, etc. In this setting, it’s best to play it like a game, while sticking to a price.
  
• Above all, be prepared to walk away- a merchant will often come back with a better offer, but not always.

Gift Giving

• Officials will often ask for cadeaux (gifts) as a bribe; smaller-time officials such as military police may ask for ‘money for tea,’ or something similar as a bribe, and it may be worth it, as opposed to the endless hassle.
• Gifts are usually opened in private.

In the Classroom

• In theory, school begins around September and ends in June, but this often doesn’t happen due to strikes, etc.
• Dress at the university level is professional (i.e. nice pants and a button-down shirt or an African print shirt) for men, with business-type dress similar for women. T-shirts and shorts are unacceptable.
• The grading system at most institutions is based on the French system of 0-20, with 20 being the highest. A 20 is next-to-impossible to earn though, 10s and 11s are average.
• Lecture and rote memorization is the most common form of teaching and evaluating.