Dear Dave,
my question to you is regarding east african customs on when it is appropriate to accept an invitation for a visit.
A bit of background first. My sister was attached as a liaison for the staff of the president of Tanzania on the president's visit to Brussels for an EU summit regarding african affairs. As the president was leaving Brussels, he invited my sister for a visit to Tanzania and, prompted by the tanzanian ambassador's whisper that it is impossible to refuse a presidential invitaion, my sister readily accepted. At this point, she thought this was just another one of the common courtesies that get tossed around. But on the next day as the tanzanian president's assistant came over to distribute customary gifts, he informed my sister that the president had told him that she was part of the president's "extended family", and that if my sister were to provide them with her travel dates and itinerary, the staff of the president would handle everything else on the tanzanian end of the visit. Given that my sister's boyfriend will be very busy on any prospective date for the trip next year and can't make it, she asked me if I wanted to come along.
Now, the main question I have is this: is this shit for real? I mean, with your extensive knowledge of tanzanian customs regarding hospitality and the giving of gifts, do you think it is appropriate for my sister to actually take advantage of the offer and travel there? And last but not least, do you think it would be okay for me to sponge off a free trip to Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, and Zanzibar, all on the expense of the people of one among the poorest nations on the globe?
my question to you is regarding east african customs on when it is appropriate to accept an invitation for a visit.
A bit of background first. My sister was attached as a liaison for the staff of the president of Tanzania on the president's visit to Brussels for an EU summit regarding african affairs. As the president was leaving Brussels, he invited my sister for a visit to Tanzania and, prompted by the tanzanian ambassador's whisper that it is impossible to refuse a presidential invitaion, my sister readily accepted. At this point, she thought this was just another one of the common courtesies that get tossed around. But on the next day as the tanzanian president's assistant came over to distribute customary gifts, he informed my sister that the president had told him that she was part of the president's "extended family", and that if my sister were to provide them with her travel dates and itinerary, the staff of the president would handle everything else on the tanzanian end of the visit. Given that my sister's boyfriend will be very busy on any prospective date for the trip next year and can't make it, she asked me if I wanted to come along.
Now, the main question I have is this: is this shit for real? I mean, with your extensive knowledge of tanzanian customs regarding hospitality and the giving of gifts, do you think it is appropriate for my sister to actually take advantage of the offer and travel there? And last but not least, do you think it would be okay for me to sponge off a free trip to Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, and Zanzibar, all on the expense of the people of one among the poorest nations on the globe?
