[Assignment agent]

Is it rude to greet someone you don't know? Or is it maybe how you greet? This is a situation my friend encountered when he travelled to another continent. It never crossed his mind that a simple gesture of humanity can cause him so much trouble. He greeted some beautiful woman and met an avalanche of rudeness.

In Africa we're used to greeting strangers and is a normal thing. Where he was, his presence was experienced in a wrong way and left him hating the place, and worse was that continent as he got to learn that it's how people behave there, you greet only a person you know or have an appointment with. Random greetings are forbidden yet not published anywhere for public knowledge.

The other challenge was his failure to look at those who came hard on him in support of the stranger he greeted. Just like me, naturally he's shy and can't look at anyone in their eyes because of respect, and those people didn't know that about him as they never cared to observe that in him or even hear him out as they were obsessed with justice for the poor lady. It was only through a young PA to ambassador for one of African countries that he was then given a break.

The young lady explained to them about our culture as Africans and they got it at last. Sad thing though was their failure to accept their wrongdoing and apologize to him, but instead insisted that he should've learned about their norms first before visiting their country. To date, to me, that's plain rude.

In conclusion: it goes two ways; first is to research about customs and faith based issues when you travel to another country, second is for each government to teach their citizens about tolerance, courtesy and racial differences. People need to enter and exit a country and be left with a lasting pleasant experience.

Also, when you travel on business, find an acquaintant to be your assignment agent. Having that professional in your corner is convenient for your success and safety as the person would've prepped you and interpret for you in your engagements for the whole period of your stay because of being a native of the country you visited. Had my friend made arrangements for such an agent, his experience wouldn't have been that horrid. An assignment agent makes life easier, especially if you made your homework of finding the one who has a background of what you're into. Be savvy, make use of one in future...dp