El Salvador

Greetings

Men greeting Men – Handshakes are the norm. Good friends and family may add a light pat on the back or hug.

Women greeting Women – When meeting for the first time a handshake is common. Sometimes a nod and verbal greeting will suffice. Good friends and family usually kiss on the cheek and engage in a light hug.

Men greeting Women – Informally, just a nod and/or verbal greeting is the norm. A handshake is common if it’s a bit more formal. It's best to wait from the woman to extend her hand first. A light hug and a cheek kiss are common for friends and family.

Communication Style

• Indirect communication is very common. Salvadorans often beat around the bush to get to the point.

Personal Space & Touch

• Most Salvadorans prefer standing a little less than an arm’s length apart during conversations. This distance may be less between good friends and family
• On buses there are people sitting close to each other and those standing are often crammed in with little to no personal space.
• There is a decent amount of touching during conversations. This includes arms, hands, shoulders. There tends to be less touching between genders.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is expected and appreciated during conversations. However, overtly direct or prolonged eye contact may be interpreted as rude or a threat.

Gestures

• People point with their lips as pointing with the finger is often considered rude.
• To beckon someone, it’s often a nod of the head or waving your hand down.
• To show how tall a child is you show the height with the palm out. Measuring height with the palm facing down is used for animals and plants.

Views of Time

• Time tends to be a loose term in El Salvador. People usually run late to most things. About an hour or so is common.
• Most buses run on a schedule—city buses run regularly but have no schedule; inter-department buses run about every half hour (but again, loose concept of time...no fixed schedule).

Gender Roles

• Women are still seen as primarily tied to their husbands: their job is to cook, clean and tend to the children. However, women are increasingly assuming leadership roles and because of emigration to the States, there are also a lot of single women.

Taboos

• Putting one's feet up on a desk or chair in social and business settings is considered rude.
• Yawning without covering your mouth is considered rude.

Law & Order

• The legal age is technically 18 for drinking and smoking but neither is enforced that heavily.
• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Dress

• For Men- In formal business situations, a suit and tie are appropriate. Dark colors and somewhat conservative styles are the norm. For informal situations, khakis, nice jeans and a collared shirt is usually appropriate.
• For Women- In formal business situations, skirts or slacks, nice shoes and a nice shirt are acceptable. Stylish yet conservative is the way to go. Most women wear high heels, nice accessories, and a decent amount of make-up.
• Shorts, sneakers, and overly revealing clothing tend to be unacceptable in business situations.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are somewhat important and it is best to address people directly by using their professional title or Senor, Senora, Senorita, followed by the surname.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving of business cards although it is advisable to treat the card with respect and have one side translated into Spanish if possible.

Meetings

• It is best to show up on time for an initial meeting although typically they will start ½-1 hour late.
• There is usually some form of small talk before getting down to business. It is best to allow your host to begin and end the business discussion.
• Conversation topics to avoid include: local politics, religion and the civil war.

Negotiations

• Salvadorans value relationship building and harmony so it is important to avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or confrontation.
• Decisions are usually made from the top down and take awhile to be reached.
• Expect several meetings before final decisions are made.
• Bargaining is expected when buying souvenirs and the like at outdoor marketplaces. Walking away if the price isn't right and usually helps lower the price.

Gift Giving

• Business gifts are not expected at an initial meeting, but will most likely be appreciated.
• If invited to a Salvadoran home, it is appropriate to bring flowers, a nice bottle of wine, or good quality candy.

In the Classroom

• University students tend to dress well. Shorts and flip flops are looked down upon.
• Grades generally follow a 0-10 scale, with 10 being the highest and 6 being the pass/fail mark.
• Lecture is the most common form of teaching.