[mmsimanga]

In Africa we are the total opposite. We are the masters of small talk. Traditionally when you meet someone you need to ask how the person is, how his/her family are and whether or not the rains have been good (rains are an indicator for the size of the harvest nevermind that we buy most of our food now). Some people go through all the family member, how is your dad, how is your mother, how is your daughter is she enjoying school, where is your brother now, how are his kids, has the last born started grade school ... After all these greetings only then can you get to your business. I swear this is the reason Africa as a whole got left behind in terms of technological development. Half the day is passes on small talk. It does make for pleasant interactions. You get to know the person you are dealing with well as we like to say, there is no hurry in Africa. In the cities we do have less small talk.

If you ever get a chance to listen to a South African radio call-in show, you will hear just about every caller ask the show host/DJ how he or she is before airing their view. It can be irritating listening to the show host say I am fine 100 times.

[thaumasiotes]

> traditionally when you meet someone you need to ask how the person is, how his/her family are and whether or not the rains have been good (rains are an indicator for the size of the harvest nevermind that we buy most of our food now). Some people go through all the family member, how is your dad, how is your mother, how is your daughter is she enjoying school, where is your brother now, how are his kids, has the last born started grade school ... After all these greetings only then can you get to your business. I swear this is the reason Africa as a whole got left behind in terms of technological development.

I would be interested to know what standard Japanese practice is. In my mind (informed only by stereotype) they'd lean toward the ask-about-the-family end of the spectrum too.