Grenada

Greetings

Man greeting Man - In a casual setting, men often offer a simple nod of acknowledgment. In a more formal setting, men will shake hands.

Woman greeting Woman - Women usually greet each other with a hello, and depending on the level of familiarity will sometimes kiss each other on the cheeks or exchange hugs. In a more formal setting, women will shake hands.

Greetings between Men & Women- In a casual setting, a verbal greeting and/or a simple nod of acknowledgment is common. In a more formal setting, a handshake is common.

Communication Style

• Common courtesy goes a long way. Saying good morning, good evening, and being polite regardless of how trying the situation is.

Personal Space & Touch

• People tend to communicate at arms length, although with an increased level of familiarity, this distance can decrease. In business and more formal situations this distance may be considerably larger.

• Touching of hands during conversations is quite common between friends and members of the opposite sex. This does not tend to be so between business colleagues.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is acceptable, but too much can be considered staring, which is rude. It's best to strike a balance.

Views of Time

• It is normal to be late for meetings with friends and other social situations.
• Buses and other service do not tend to run on time.
• Being on time in professional situations is expected.

Gender Roles

• Women used to be the homemakers, but that has changed and they are now on a more equal footing with men. On average, they tend to work much harder than men.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is actually 21, but it is not enforced.
• Illegal drugs, theft and brutal crimes are heavily enforced, with hard time in jail.

Dress

• For Men- Dress pants, collared shirt, clean shoes.
• For Women-Same, including skirts/dresses.

Titles & Business Cards

• It's best to address people by their proper title followed by their surname. Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc.
• It's polite to wait to call someone by their first name until invited to do so.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving of business cards although it is advisable to treat the card with respect.

Negotiations

• It's best to be honest about the price, but some bargaining is expected now and then.
• Remain calm throughout the process.
• Decisions may take awhile to be reached.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not expected during initial business meetings.

In the Classroom

• Most schools begin the first week of September and end in July. Vacations range from 2 weeks to 2 months in the summer.
• Appropriate dress at the university level is usually jeans, dress pants, shirt or blouse. Shorts tend to be unacceptable, as well as very revealing clothing.

• Grades are given on a 1 – 5 scale, with 1 being the best grade.

• Various forms of teaching are used including: lecture, group work, experiential, etc.