-
Men and
women have equal social standing and the same opportunities.
-
Man opens
the door for a woman or lets a women enter first and pay for their dinners as
well. The good manners are accompanied by a healthy dose of flirting as well.
It is helpful to know that mild filtration is a norm, meaning that men make a
habit of complimenting their female colleagues and women tend to expect to be
complimented.
-
People
tend to complain a lot. With all difficult changes going on, one could say
there is a lot to complain about.
-
People
tend not to say directly what they think.
-
Baltic
people are fairly reserved and public display of emotions is generally not the
norm other than at cultural, sports or other social events. This reserve can
be downright disturbing for those who tend to be full of smiles and small
talk. But this reserve will dissipate over time as genuine friendship emerges.
-
People
generally do not engage in small talk with people they do not know well and
they do not feel uncomfortable with long silences in conversations with
strangers.
-
People are
judged on the basis of their own achievements and money.
-
Education
is a very valuable mean of success.
-
There are
some gestures that are considered rude, like waiving a pointed index finger or
persistently pointing at someone.
-
Society is
opening up. Young people tend to show affection more openly than older people.
- However, it
should be noted that the society is not homogeneous and is undergoing gradual
changes in character since its borders have become open to global influences,
population movements and international tourism
-
Both men
and women tend to dress conservatively in the workplace, both in summer and
winter.
-
Good
quality, which doesn’t mean prestigious brand, office clothes and shoes,
should be worn all the time.
-
In formal
situations men usually wear a suit; women wear a formal dress or a suit.
-
It is very
important to dress clean and tidy.
-
“Casual” never translates as a
pair of jeans and sneakers. Women may dress casually on weekends or evenings,
but it is almost an outfit that demands a pair of heels. Men will wear the
best of casual clothes for evenings and weekends.
-
Any
discussion topic is good, you can talk about everything: family, work, where
you are from, hobbies except politics and religion, which should be avoided
initially.
-
Good
introductory topics could focus on questions about the country and on your new
acquaintance’s opinion on important places to see or cultural events to attend
such as opera and theatre. General history topics can also be the perfect ice-
breaker.
-
People
from the Baltic countries are very proud of their heritage, especially in
light of their recent independence. One should be on guard to avoid implying
anything that could be regarded as insulting, condescending, unfair or hurtful
to the dignity of the Baltic people.
-
Rule of
thumb: never interchange “Estonian”, “Latvian” or “Lithuanian” for “Russian”.
These countries were part of the Soviet Union and most people, especially of
the older generation, speak Russian. But Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians
are distinct ethnic groups from Russia and from each other, with languages
that belong to separate families of languages, a different religious
backgrounds with their own set of traditions and distinct cultural identities.
- Avoid
sarcasm and irony
-
People
from Baltic countries have a strong sense of space and will generally stand a
few feet from the other person. Distance can be even greater when speaking or
dealing with strangers.
-
It is very
important to make eye contact. It is considered to be a sign of dishonesty if
a person refuses or is reluctant to make eye contact.
-
Baltic
people might take a little longer to build up trust with a complete stranger.
This initial reserve, however, tends to fade away quickly as a relationship
evolves.
-
Business cards are usually
exchanged at the start of a business meeting.
-
It is common practice to
offer coffee, tea, water or some other drink at the start of a business
meeting.
-
It is
customary to shake hands when greeting each other, especially among men.
Hugging and kissing is acceptable only among close friends.
-
Baltic
people do not use a lot of gestures or facial expressions.
-
Presentations need not be fancy, as long as they are clear and easily
understood.
-
Punctuality and reliability are highly valued.
-
Baltic people are very hospitable. They will try their
best to make you comfortable and will treat you with a lot of respect.
-
If you are
visiting a Baltic home, be prepared to eat a lot. Host will make sure that
table is full of various home-cooked meals and will persistently offer to try
everything and incite to keep eating.
-
Be sure to
compliment the host on the meal otherwise he/she will think that you didn’t
like the food.
-
Bring a
gift of flowers, candy or liquor to the host if you are invited to visit one’s
home.
-
Toasts are
important part of dinning. Toasts are initiated by the host and are usually an
expression of hospitality, gratitude, friendship or good wishes. Toasts are
made over champagne or wine.
Other
Estonia
-
Population: 1,238,300 as of 2004
-
Area Total: 45,266 km2
-
Capital: Tallinn
-
Climate: Maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool
summers.
-
Language: Estonian
-
Currency: 1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents
-
Holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Latvia
-
Population: 2,262,000 as of 2004
-
Area Total: 64,100 km2
-
Capital: Riga
-
Climate: Maritime; wet, moderate winters.
-
Language: Latvian
-
Currency: 1 lat = 100 santims
-
Holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918)
Lithuania
-
Population: 3,494,700 as of 2004
-
Area Total: 65,200 km2
-
Capital: Vilnius
-
Climate: Maritime; wet, moderate winters and
summers
-
Language: Lithuanian
-
Currency: Litas = 100 cents
-
Holiday: Independence, Day, 16 February (1918)
Sources
http://www.delfi.lt
http://zvejusmukle.meniu.lt/publications.php?strid=1105&id=58241
http://www.javlb.org/codylithuania.html
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/inter-source/cp-en.asp?iso=ee
http://www.a-zoftourism.co.uk/Etiquette-in-Riga.htm
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