8001: In re: Manners (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JRAuguste1@aol.com

So to show my good manners I should not look at my watch when talking to 
Haitians!

Consider the following: A great majority of the Haitians that I know are 
notoriously late in arriving for most functions. If for instance I invite 
them for 5:00 PM they arrive nonchalantly at or about 8:00 PM if not later. 

Depending on the function it is not always a disaster, but try that in 
relation to a dinner invitation.  

For a long while I submitted to their habit and kept quiet. 

Lately, however, I have adapted to their ways. I adopted their carefree 
attitude of "jpp", jan'l pase'l pase. I not only open my front door half way 
upon their chronically late arrival but I stand at the front door, at times 
bare feet, make eye contact with them and tell them that the social function 
they were invited to attend is over and I thank them for coming... all the 
while looking at my watch. 

And to think that it never occurred to me that I was violating some Haitian 
social taboos and that I was culturally insensitive to my brethren! I owe 
them a mea culpa.