The differences in cultural habits find their roots in even (or should I say, especially) the smallest events. Giving or receiving presents for example. I have always learned that it is rude not to open a present immediately after someone has kindly offered it to you. It would somehow indicate that you are not interested in the content of the present and that you simply don't really care. Here in Sudan, on the contrary, lots of people consider it inappropriate to open a present in front of the person who has just offered it to them. The other day, I gave a small Dutch gift to one of Frank's colleagues and without hesitation she thanked me and put the (still wrapped!) present in the drawer of her desk. Only after some time, she rang me up to say that she had opened the present and that she really liked it! When I asked her why Sudanese generally wait with opening the presents until the benefactor has left, she said:
"Just imagine if you really don't like the present; then it's is not nice for the other person to see your disappointed face!". When I think about it in that light, I guess many of us have simply learned to be very good actors sometimes..
