Culturally Confused

I recall my first foreign mission trip to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1993, just after the fall of the Iron Curtain.  At that time, the Russians, who had largely run the country in prior years, were still living there in large numbers.

As has become my habit I asked friends about locals greetings etc.  I learned a Russian greeting as well as a Muslim one.  The only problem was, I’d walk into a bunch of Russians, and I’d say “Salaam Alekum”.  Of course I erred every possible way, so I’d meet some Uzbek Muslims and give the Russian greeting.

Here in Botswana culture compliance can also be a bit tricky.  The Batswana have a traditional handshake that consists of putting your left hand on your right forearm.  As soon as I got in country I was introduced to the more modern, and more common handshake, which has three parts.  It starts with the standard common western handshake, followed by the locked-thumbs handshake, followed by the standard handshake.  Of course the catch is, some folks use the simple single western shake, others use the Batswana one, and others prefer the triple-shake.  I have NOT figured out how to guess which is preferred, and I get it wrong.

(This is Levi, an active member of Cru and our congregation.)

Brenda once shook hands with Today Show TV star, Al Roker, and she said he gave the “dead fish” handshake.  I suggested that perhaps he shook hands so much that it was protective.  Maybe not.

I have felt quite a few dead fish here.   I am not sure why.  I have decided to offer always the triple shake, though not sure why.