North Macedonia

<cite index="5-1">It is not necessary to tip restaurants or service people in North Macedonia</cite>, though <cite index="1-1">Macedonians don't usually focus on tipping, and even those involved in the tourist industry are happy to do the job they agreed to without expecting a tip</cite>; if you'd like to reward great service, rounding up or leaving 5-10% is a nice gesture, and cards are widely ac

• <cite index="5-3">Do not leave two windows open in a room — there's a cultural belief ('promaja') that wind passing through will cause people to get sick.</cite>
• <cite index="4-1">Shaking hands is the standard form of greeting and introduction, and business cards are exchanged without much protocol.</cite>
• <cite index="5-0">Macedonians have quite a relaxed view of time, and it is common to be late or for meetings and events to run over.</cite>
• <cite index="6-1">There are strict laws on exporting historically valuable or significant items, and doing so without the proper permit may lead to arrest, financial penalties, and imprisonment.</cite>
• <cite index="6-2">Visitors should follow 'no photography' signs, and if in doubt, should ask permission before taking photographs, avoiding subjects that could be viewed as related to national security or military installations.</cite>
• <cite index="5-4,5-5">Family members and close friends visit each other's homes very regularly, often unannounced or unplanned.</cite>