"Charles Jones" wrote in message
m...
I'm an American, I am going to be doing some world travel, entailing a
combination of education and business. Some of my travels may include
at least some brief time in a variety of African nations (both north
and south of the Sahara). Can someone give me some advice on the most
blatant ways that Americans sometimes fail to appreciate the cultures
in various African nations, in thought or deed, and how I might best
avoid making an idiot of myself? Contexts of interest include not
just business and school settings, but social settings, restaurants,
shopping places, even visits to people's homes -- hell, even the
dating scene, one never knows -- really anything you can think of.
It's kind of a broad, open question, I realize, but since I'm not sure
what exactly I'm looking for, I thought an open-ended question would
be best. All replies much appreciated.

The fact that you seek this advice says that you're not going to
represent the "typical american tourist" profile. Relax, observe
and enjoy.