List:
| Do greet people with your right hand |
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| Don't offer your left hand to receive
things |
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| Do not display physical affection in the
open |
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| Do take your footwear off before entering
a house |
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| Don't smell food before eating it |
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| Don't point at individuals with your
finger |
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| Do ask for permission before taking
photos |
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| Don't hold food with your left hand |
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| Don't be judgmental about religion |
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| Don't be friendly with people's wives or
husbands |
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| Don't drink alcohol in an Islamic
compound |
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| Avoid walking alone at night or in
isolated places |
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| Be cautious of giving rides to people you
don't know |
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| Know very well the person you give your
address to |
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| Don't expose large sums of money |
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| Put money in safe pocket or purse |
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| Before making friends with someone,
introduce him or her to your host family, colleagues |
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| And finally don't: |
| handle animals (especially monkeys,
canines and, and cats) |
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| swim in fresh water, including the Nile.
Salt water is usually safer |
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| crowded public places and public
transportation whenever possible |

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1. Don’t walk alone at night. No matter how safe an area may
seem, it gets very, very dark so it’s nicer and safer to have
bit of company. (Two Bobs are better than one).
2. When you go out, do let someone know where you’re going. This
is very important for overnight trips—make sure your roomie or
someone else knows your destination and about when you expect to
return.
3. Things to carry on/with you when you go out:
• some form of photo I.D.
• your insurance card
• your emergency contact card
• only as much cash as you need for the day
• a copy of your passport
4. Don't:
• Large amounts of cash, unless you are planning to make a
substantial purchase
• Your passport (unless you need it for business, such as
changing money, OR if you are travelling up-country or out of
the country)
• Any unnecessary valuables
5. Do keep close guard of your bags, especially when you are in
the market. Don’t keep money in a back pocket. Book bags that
can be easily unzipped would best be guarded on one shoulder and
under you arm rather than on your back where you can’t always
see or feel what is going on. One expatriate told me her bag was
slashed and contents removed as she roamed unawares through
bustling Serekunda.
6. Don’t go out at night or to lonely areas with people you
don’t know extremely well. If you are a girl, it is especially
unadvisable to go out with a group of guys unless you are very
close buddies—even then, safety in familiar numbers. It is best
to invite someone to the pool bar or somewhere public during
daylight hours, so you can get to know them well before making
any private rendezvous in the dark.
7. Don’t tell strangers where you live, though of course there
are reasonable exceptions to this rule, as you will make many
friends on the street from whom you would appreciate a visit
from in the future. Use common sense in this matter. Many people
will ask where you live as a way of striking up conversation—if
you want to be subtle without lying, you could say you live in
New Town and you are staying with friends.
8. Do keep valuables (e.g. plane tickets and passport) as well
as larger sums of money in a safe or EXTREMELY well hidden in
your room. A suitcase or large bag with a lock might be a good
option. Hiding places not to try because they are so often used:
in the refrigerator, under the mattress, in the night table. As
I mentioned in the hotel section, always lock your windows and
two doors before leaving the room.
9. If you plan on making a big purchase or changing a weeks
worth of money, it is best to carry your wad of cash in a money
belt or neck pouch hidden under your clothes. Keep a few dalasi
for small purchases in an easier to reach place, so you won’t
flash your cash every time you want to make a purchase. When
accessing your money belt, do it as secretly as possible, even
if it just means turning your back to the wall.
10. If you are at the beach, don’t bring more than a few dalasi
if you plan on splashing about in the water with your gear on
the sand. It is best to take shifts in the water, always leaving
at least one person behind to guard your towels, shoes, and
valuables.
11. If the worst and unlikely happens and a crime is committed
against you, you need to report the crime to the resident
coordinator, who will provide advice and assistance, and likely
will accompany you to the police station. It is imperative you
file a crime report with the police. Don’t feel shy about
this—even the most macho guys and wisest, money hiding girls can
be targets for criminal activities. If you don’t report a crime,
you can’t expect anything to happen to the criminal, who is
likely to go for another tubaab unless his activities are
halted. In addition, insurance companies at home will need the
police report number in order to reimburse you.

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