Local Knowledge
Americas

The official working week in America is Monday - Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm. 
America is spread accross six time zones, From east to west they are Atlantic Standard Time (AST), Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), Pacific Standard Time (PST), Alaskan Standard Time (AKST), Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST), Samoa standard time (UTC) and Chamorro Standard Time (UTC).

In America the most common language used is English, with Spanish being the second most used language. 

DO:

• Smile at others if they smile at you or if someone holds a door for you.
• Hold the door open for someone behind you.
• Say “excuse me” when interrupting someone from their daily life.
• Make an effort to help someone else if you see they need it.
• Tip the waiter or waitress. Many servers in the US are paid below minimum wage, you can tip anywhere between 10% to 20%.
• Americans socialise and do business over breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• If you invite someone to a restaurant, you should pay.
• The fork is held in the left hand facing down with the knife is held in the right hand.
• Napkins if provided are placed on the lap.
• A toast might take place at the start of a formal meal or for a special occasion/guest.
• Feel free to refuse specific foods or drinks without offering an explanation.
• Obey traffic signs and driving laws.

DON’T:

• Do not use American slang when talking.
• Do not spit.
• Do not discuss race, religion, politics or sex.
• Do not swear.
• Do not discuss the wrong/rights of abortion.
• Do not assume you can smoke anywhere, even outside.
• Do not begin eating until the hostess starts or says to begin.
• Do not rest your elbows on the table.
• Do not use the metric system, use fahrenheit, miles and pounds instead.

Even though drinking alcohol is accepted in the majority of America, there are still dry counties.
A dry county is a US county with a government that prohibits any sale of all alcoholic beverages. Some governments forbid selling of alcohol off-premises, others forbid on-premises sale while others forbid both. There are many dry counties in the US, and most of them are in the South.

Under the Visa Waiver Program, citizens of the following countries do not require a visa to enter the U.S. as a visitor of business traveler if the person has not violated the terms of any past nonimmigrant visa (overstaying, etc.), would like to visit United States 90 days or less for buisness or tourism, and has a passport that meets the applicable requirments.