Home Considerations
- Elders are deeply respected as keepers of wisdom, tradition, and family identity.
- If your guest is younger, they may be more deferential than you'd expect — this reflects upbringing, not a lack of confidence.
- Always greet individually — walking in and giving a general wave is considered rude. Every person gets their own greeting
- Learning even a few words of Papiamentu signals genuine respect — Bon bini (welcome), Danki (thank you), Dushi (sweet/lovely) will land immediately
- Directness is balanced with warmth — blunt or transactional communication without a personal touch feels cold
- Always offer food and drink when someone arrives — receiving the offer graciously is expected. Declining too quickly or flatly can feel dismissive
- Never shorten or anglicise their name without being invited to — it strips the personal meaning behind it