Hand Holding and more...

So I know it’s been a while – not much I can do about that. But it is summer break here now and pretty much that means everyone goes on vacation and I have lots of time to enjoy just hanging out and noticing the simpler things of life in Banyo. So here are in fact some daily habits from life here that would probably not really fly back home:

- the lack of tissues - people just kind of lean over and blow their nose into the air/ground. Oh and putting your finger in your nose is also quite acceptable.Pretty much tissues are strictly for wiping dust off a chair or bench before sitting down

- brushing teeth while walking around outside, maybe down the street – stroll and brush

- going to the bathroom in public – quite acceptable particularlyfor men to just go on the side of the street – I mean I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go and out in the open is probably cleaner and less smelly than a latrine

- hand holding between men – good friends like to hold hands sometimes right? This does not have the same meaning at all that it may have back in home

Now while some of these actions may be seen as inappropriate back home, there are things we do that are not really accepted here. Apparently for a woman to cross her legs has some negative meaning so important to try to remember that when meeting with big wigs. And then of course there’s the left hand – no eating or handing or taking things with your left hand which can be quite challenging to always remember particularly being left-handed. But at least sometimes after they reprimand you about it, they do point out that Obama is left-handed too.

Some good hand-holding shots