Do and don't in Liberia

Do - shake hands with people you meet, and say hello. Liberians are friendly and will not understand if you are conservative or so.  They think you are "proud" that is, you look down on others.

Do - smile (fully) when you meet people. Do not smile with your lips/teeth only. Liberians will generally distruct you, they consider you insincere. Your smile should be sincere or do not smile at all.

Don't think everyone you meet want something from you.  They are poor but sometimes they just want someone to talk to or may just be looking for dialogue with someone other than another Liberian. Don't be afraid to talk to people, you can get some insights from them that is helpful in your line of work.

Do: Stay calm. A white person yelling will not be seen as the same as a Liberian doing it.

Resist begging, if possible. Giving money only encourages more aggressive begging. That includes uniformed people. Try friendly ways out.

Avoid business help. Most people asking for money or supplies to form partnerships will only use up everything, knowing you can't get back at them.

Most people making friends will quickly ask for money. All have trouble anyways. Nearly no-one will feel obliged to give anything back to a white person. Ask them to work for you in exchange, preferably in advance, to weed out the crooks.

Never refuse food.  We gave the best always to visitors and are very insulted when it is refused.

If people are eating with their hands, do NOT ask for a spoon.

Always shake hands and snap your fingers (for men).  This is a true Liberian greeting.

Never count money in the street.  divide your money in various pockets and then pull the smallest one out as the occasion demands.

Always bargain and haggle.  Prices are flexible and fluid.

When talking, call people "my friend" even when they are not.

Do NOT buy cooked food from on the street.

Do not visit people on Saturdays.  Sunday is for visiting, Saturday is for working in the home.

We do not say something is ruined or broken, we say "it is spoiled."

'Dress" means to move aside.

"Ba" means friend.

"Block" as in "Don't block my way"  or do not obstruct my path.

"Cuss" means to insult someone. 

"To know book" is to be educated or literate.

Like seriously man, are you sure you've been to Liberia? While it's true that few locals probably uneducated (especially in market squares and other public spaces) are very curious when they see light-skin people (white as you might call it) and think highly of them as rich and from some heavens. I don't think that is enough evidence to generalized all Liberians like that. That's a common phenomena with almost every country. I have personally experienced this in a lot of countries even in your country Germany. Here in China it's worst, I've had Chinese locals literally following me just to touch my hairs, ask me for money, take a picture with me or do small weird stuffs just to satisfy their curiosity. But that does not in any ways give me the audacity to speak ill of them, because as a lettered person I understand that that isn't a unique characteristics of China but rather everywhere, besides it's just a small group of People whom I probably wouldn't see an hour later.

Liberians are very warm and open to strangers, coupled with our physical touch and hand-shaking tradition, you might feel a little bit uncomfortable and think otherwise but please it's not always about begging. Most times, a conversation is just what that person wants. We might not be as rich as you are but have values and that's why we do not run from one country to another for greener pastures and risked being killed or thrown into oceans. Thanks

@fongbehtulay99

This is an old (2010) and inactive thread. Feel free to open a new thread.