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Greeting someone
in Abu Dhabi
Greetings can
be protracted
affairs as an
Arab may enquire
after you and
your family's
health. The polite
reply is that
all is well, thanks
be to God. It
is usual to use
'Sayed' (Mr) or
'Sayeda' (Mrs)
followed by the
first name. The
name should always
be prefixed with
the honorific
title when conducting
business. The
Bedouin custom
of offering food
and shelter to
strangers in the
deserts is preserved
today by the coffee
ceremony. Business
often starts with
a tiny cup of
cardamon-flavoured
coffee poured
from the traditional
metal pot or dallah.
To indicate that
you have had enough,
guests must wiggle
the cup from side
to side.
Tipping advice
Any service charge
on a restaurant
bill usually goes
to the restaurant
rather then the
waiter, therefore,
even if tips aren’t
expected, they
are very much
appreciated.
Abu Dhabi dress
code
Clothing should
be conservative
and smart. Women
should avoid wearing
revealing clothing,
especially in
rural areas, and
go for loose clothing
such as loose-cut
trousers and long
dresses.
Local Customs
The United Arab
Emirates is the
most liberal part
of the Persian
Gulf, however
still very conservative
by Western standards.
This means that
great offence
would be shown
by wearing revealing
clothing or in
any way showing
disrespect in
Mosques or other
public places.
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