Syria

Greetings

Men greeting Men – Men shake hands when greeting one another in formal settings. Good friends and family usually kiss once on each cheek in more informal settings.

Women greeting Women – Same as men, but the kiss on the cheek is much more prevalent.

Greetings between Men & Women –Physical contact between unrelated men and women is very uncommon and might be offensive to religious people. A handshake is the norm in more secular circles, cheek kissing is usually unacceptable. It is best to allow the woman to extend her hand first. If the hand is not extended, than a slight nod while placing your hand on your chest is the polite thing for men to do.

Note: It is taboo for religiously observant men to touch women and vice-versa.

Communication Style

• The communication style is usually indirect, especially when not conversing with close friends and family.
• It is common to hear people speaking in loud voices and becoming animated during conversations. This usually does not signify anger; people just tend to be expressive.

Personal Space & Touch

• An arm’s length of personal space is common in most situations. It’s usually a bit more in business situations and when interacting with the opposite sex.
• Touching the arms and/or shoulders during conversations is acceptable and common between members of the same sex. Touching of the leg is not usually acceptable. Touching between members of opposite sex in public is generally unacceptable.
• Close friends of the same gender often will walk hand in hand or arm and arm. This is the case for men and for women and is purely a sign of friendship.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is the norm. Indirect eye contact can be seen as rude or condescending except when talking with an elder; in that case it is usually seen as being humble/polite.

Gestures

• Flicking the wrist with an outstretched hand usually means "What Do You Want?"
• Raised eyebrows combined with a slight back flick of the head usually means "NO."

Views of Time

• Punctuality is not highly valued and people are rarely on time. This is more the case in social situations vs. business.
• Being half an hour late for an appointment is not only acceptable, but almost the norm. One exception to the rule is job interviews. You are expected to be on time then.
• Services do not usually run on time.
• People are generally open and giving with their time.

Gender Roles

• Syrian society is divided into two broad groups, secular and religious (conservative), with the two main groups having smaller sub divisions based on wealth. Therefore you find varying degrees of tolerance/intolerance to certain subjects inside the same group. These two groups are not evenly spread throughout the country (in either metropolitan or rural areas), and certain areas of the country might have a predominance of one group over the other. For example, cities like Aleppo and Hama are predominantly conservative, while coastal cities like Lattakia and Tartous are predominantly secular. It is also common to find both groups inhabiting different neighborhoods in the same city.
• When talking about specific social issues, it is important to point out what is acceptable to each group. While these groups have a broad range of things in common, big differences can be found when discussing certain subjects such as women's rights, dress codes, sexuality, politics and of course religion.
• As far as the religious group is concerned, a woman's place is at home. Work is frowned upon unless it's a financial necessity. Also a woman must adhere to strict dress code; usually covering her head and wearing long loose clothes. On the extreme end of this scale, women are forbidden from having an education or going out of the house at all, although this is very rare nowadays.
• As far as the secular group goes, there are very few restrictions on what a woman can do. Basically a woman has the same rights as she would have anywhere in the west, perhaps with the notable exception of sexual relations.
• Foreign women: Religious conservatives are surprisingly tolerant of foreigners in general, and do not expect foreign women living in/visiting to adhere to their rules or way of life. However they do expect them to be decently dressed, when coming into contact with them, or visiting their areas.

Taboos

• Don’t point the toe or heel or any part of the foot at any person.
• Don’t show the sole of your foot or use the foot to move anything as it is viewed as the lowliest body part.
• Homosexuality is against the law and carries a heavy penalty.

• Public displays of affection/partial nudity/ are completely unacceptable.

• Lewd or indecent behavior, (including consumption of alcohol/drunkenness) in conservative/religious areas and places of worship is completely unacceptable.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking/smoking age is 18, but most Syrians don't even know that because it is never enforced. A minor may purchase alcohol/tobacco without any problems.
• Drugs, soft or hard, carry very severe penalties for possession, usage or distribution. The drug laws are heavily enforced.
• Generally speaking, laws are not heavily enforced; with the notable exception of the laws governing political activity and terrorism. Recently, a new traffic law was introduced which is being heavily enforced.
• Homosexuality is against the law and carries a heavy penalty.

Dress

• For Men- A suit is common. A suit without the tie is acceptable in many situations. Suit without a blazer/jacket is usually acceptable in the summer.
• For Women- Conservative is the way to go. Skirts and dresses should always be knee length and tops should keep the shoulders covered. Suits and pants are not that common.
• Jeans and shorts are not worn in business situations.

Titles & Business Cards

• Mr. and/or Mrs. followed by the last name is common, however if the person is a doctor, you must address him as Dr. followed by the last name.
• It’s best to use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name.
• It is usually best to present and receive business cards with the right hand.

Meetings

• It’s best to show up on time and be smartly dressed, even though you may be kept waiting. Usually you would greet the host first, and proceed to greet everyone else that is present, either starting from right to left, or greeting the older people first.
• Small talk is expected, not too short and not too long.
• You should wait for the host to start business discussions, and you may want to end the meeting yourself, as the host will most likely not end it for fear of being perceived as impolite.
• Interruptions are common as is straying off topic from time to time.

Negotiations

• Most everyone negotiates bargains and barters in Syria. Whether it’s buying a house, or your groceries, everyone does it and it is expected.
• It’s best to be honest and remain calm. One can expect a decision right away for small items but for larger purchases, 2 days to a week is normal for a decision.

Gift Giving

• Giving /receiving gifts is acceptable on formal occasions. It is usually better when there is no formal occasion to invite the other party to a dinner at a good restaurant.
• If you are giving a gift, it doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s not cheap. Usually a gift's value is equated with the other person's perceived value to you. The more valuable the gift, the more you value that person.
• Gifts should be wrapped, but don't always expect the recipient to open it in front of you.

In the Classroom

• The school year at most institutions starts in mid September and ends in early July. Summer vacation is about 2.5 months, with frequent holidays throughout the school year for religious and state occasions.

• Universities in are secular, so there is no need for women to wear head coverings. It is however unacceptable for women to wear shorts or short skirts or revealing tops. Dress for men is casual to upscale casual. Shorts are not very common.

• Grades are usually give on a scale from 0 -100%). A failing grade is 50 for students enrolled before 2005, and 60 for recent enrollments.

• Lecture is the most common form of teaching.

Other Observations

• Generally speaking, Syrians are very tolerant and welcoming of foreign visitors, and will often go out of their way to offer assistance and help. Most Syrians realize and accept the fact that foreigners have different cultural and social values and will not try to enforce their own beliefs.

• Doing business (private not government) in Syria is a fairly relaxed and informal affair. However you should pay close attention to what the Syrian side tells you, as all successful Syrian businessmen know the local market very well and may have special needs to suit that market.

• You may want to rent your own accommodation and do not rely on university housing as it is often of very poor quality.