In social gatherings even though everyone might be sitting in the same room, it is common for women to start their interaction mostly with other women and similarly, men with men. During a typical after dinner, gathering coffee, tea, candy, cookies, pastries and fruit are served. A dinner invitation to someone's home is a special honor. At the dinner table it is customary for the hostess to offer additional servings many times and with great insistence. The guest is expected to oblige, after several such offers.
Dinners are leisurely affairs, to be savored slowly along, with the delicious homecooked food.
Sometimes guests bring flowers or sweets to such occasions. In business relationships the whole affair is conducted as a social occasion, complete with greetings sharing, coffee, tea, or food and drinks, depending on the extent of the transaction. Even in ordinary shopping a lot of personal information is exchanged between the vendor and the customer, setting the stage for everyone to fulfil their responsibilities in the transaction. There are a few subjects which need to be treated with care. These include the flag, the army, the country, and religion.