What local customs should I be aware of on my first trip to Afghanistan?

What local customs should I be aware of on my first trip to Afghanistan?

In general:

• Many Afghans enjoy talking about their children and parents and enjoy questions about such.
• Have photos of your family to share.
• Remember that your behavior is being observed and judgment is being made about it - by work colleagues, by others in the guest house, etc. Gossip about your behavior, however unjustified, can get you fired.
• NEVER put your feet on a desk
• Try never to show a room the underside of your bare feet

If you are a man:

• Always leave doors open when you are meeting with women, not just Afghan women, and no other men.
• Do not offer to shake hands with a woman, Afghan or not, unless she offers it.
• Do not touch any women, Afghan or otherwise, in a casual way (on the shoulder or arm, for instance).
• Do not eat one-on-one in a public place or employee break room with a woman (having another man or woman there is helpful for appearances)
• Please wait for your female colleagues that are accompanying you to a car or another building if they need time to put on their head scarf.

If you are a woman:

• When you are outside your workplace or guest house, wear the headscarf.
• Pants, even jeans, are fine, but make sure whatever shirt you are wearing extends all the way past your butt, completely covering your crotch as well.
• Avoid tight shirts that fit snugly around your chest.
• Wear shirts with sleeves that come at least to your elbows.
• Always leave doors open when you are meeting with a man, not just Afghan women, and there are no other women present.
• Do not offer to shake hands with an Afghan man unless he offers it.
• Do not touch any men, Afghan or otherwise, in a casual way (on the shoulder or arm, for instance), because this can be misinterpreted, not necessarily by the person you touch but by people watching.
• Do not eat one-on-one in a public place or employee break room with a man (having another man or woman there is helpful for appearances)
• Many women choose to say they have a husband or fiancé, even with they don’t.