The families that make up the community try to work together. Most communities consist of people who have known each other all their lives as there is not a lot of movement in and out of communities. When a new family moves into a community it is their responsibility to go meet their neighbors. When the neighbors are alike then they become friends. It is important for neighbors to visit one another and talk to one another. This is the basis of children being able to visit one another. The parents must agree to the visit.

Foreigners must be dealt with in two categories, Haitian and those who are not Haitian. Those who are not Haitian are called “blan” no matter what race they are from. A Haitian moving into a community is welcome if he is not a thief, gossip, or malicious. He should respect others and have a respectable character himself. People from the city are generally not trusted because people who deal with them lose their land and just about everything they have in the world.

Foreigners who are not Haitian must also follow everything expected of a Haitian and more. These foreigners are accepted but considered to be ignorant of customs and culture. Some communities forgive more easily than others do. Americans are considered to be gullible and trusting of everyone, whereas foreigners from other countries are less trusting. Foreigners are easily deceived because they are more trusting. They are viewed as extremely wealthy and therefore give things away. A Haitian proverb says, "A stupid man gives things away, an imbecile does not accept them" ("Yon sot ki bay, yon imbisil ki pa pran"). It is a game to see if a foreigner will give you whatever you ask. Haitians believe that it is an obligation to give when someone asks or demands something.

Questions to non-Haitian foreigners can be very direct and deal with areas that may make foreigners uncomfortable. It is not uncommon for a woman to ask a man to make her pregnant ("vin plen vant mwen") or for a man to offer to make a woman pregnant. The term translated as girlfriend or boyfriend ("menaj') can have an entirely different meaning. It may mean one is having sexual relations with one’s boyfriend or girlfriend. Extreme caution must be exercised in dealing with sexual advances by being in a group, being reserved in conversation, not complimenting people on their appearance, and being ready to run or leave if cornered.

Foreigners are common in Haiti. Some Haitians believe that foreigners use Haitians for medical experiments. There are thousands of volunteers with church groups each year, international groups from soldiers to observers and a mix of outlaws who are hiding in the country. Each of these groups has an impact on the people. In general they all believe that Haiti needs money to fix its situation and they hope to have an impact by spending money. This has contributed to and sustains the welfare mentality in the country. It is an easy, quick and pleasant feeling in giving things away. No one has to take responsibility for his actions because he can leave. This has created and reinforced the attitude that the Haitian people have toward foreigners.

The community sets the standards for clothing. People dress according to their capacity and the type of work they are doing. Work clothes are usually old worn out clothes, if the job requires the person to get dirty. They are generally bought in the market from large bundles of used clothing that has come into the country. For work clothes, a man might wear women’s clothing or a woman might wear a slip or an evening gown. Children change from school uniforms to worn out clothes to play. When going to town, market, government offices, or any social event, then you dress for the event. At home you can dress very casually or in whatever keeps you cool. If a visitor comes to the house you may change clothes before receiving them. This decision is based on whether one is dressed in a manner that is correct for receiving the visitor. If the visitor is a close friend, you do not need to change clothes.

Modesty is a community standard. At home girls may wear only panties until the age of five or six and boys may wear only a shirt until age ten or twelve. It is common that women who are breastfeeding not cover their breasts when they are finished. The sun is considered to be good for their breasts.

There is no place to go that is private. People give each other privacy by not looking at each other when they undress/dress, relieve themselves, or take a bath. This standard does not always apply to the foreigner. There are taboos that forbid the removal of boxer shorts or briefs and panties when taking a bath in public. This practice is changing among people in rural towns, as some people remove all their clothes in public when bathing. More lurid displays are also common in some public markets. A person may undress and dress in a room full of people, on a bus full of people, or in the back of a pickup truck in the middle of town, if there is no other option.

The standard of dress for church, weddings, and funerals is considerably different. It is considered unacceptable for a woman to have a sleeveless dress in a church. Some churches require the woman’s head to be covered in the service with anything from a hat to a handkerchief to a diaper. Men generally wear long sleeved shirts and a tie to church, but a coat is needed for a wedding or a funeral. In some places, open toed shoes or jean skirts may be considered inappropriate. Culottes and pants are beginning to be seen in the rural area, but are still the exception to the rule for women. If a woman is seen in shorts or pants, it is assumed she is from a big city, not a local person.

The people protect themselves by helping each other against thieves and other criminals, who are taken to the National Police in the nearest town to be judged. The government ended all positions of sheriff in the rural areas other than in towns. There is a plan to return with some type of law enforcement to these areas but there is no specific date. It is like the Wild West. Things have settled down in the last few years.

There is no capital punishment by law, but there are cases where the community decides that it is best not to tolerate a murderer or werewolf (a shape shifting human called "lougawou" who takes peoples souls). The community then tolerates a person in the community killing the murderer or werewolf. If the authorities are brought into investigate the community remains silent.

News is communicated by radio, church meetings, cock fights, and talking to one another. Radios are not available in every household. The U.S. military had to drop radios from planes to be able to communicate with the people of Haiti during the embargo of Haiti by the United Nations in 1994. One radio station sends messages out at a particular time of day for individuals. An example would be a child going to school in a rural town who needs to let his parents know that he needs money.

Although French is the official language of Haiti, Haitian Creole is the language that everyone knows. It is common to answer a question with a question. Questions and statements are mixed. Most people attempt to answer yes to all questions or give the response that they think the person asking the question wants to hear, especially to those in authority. A person asking a question will repeat the question if they do not like the response they receive, ignoring the response. There is a Haitian proverb that says, "The crying baby gets the mother's breast.”

Most information about the law has come about recently. After democracy was reestablished in Haiti there was an organization responsible for teaching people the law in community groups. Those who attended these groups know more than in the past but the majority of people still do not have access to the law or even the constitution. Civic information is also very limited.

Young adults take different roles in the community based on their capacity, which is judged by their education and common sense, but most heavily by their education. Those who can not do much, become farmers. This is what most rural people are, farmers. The most respected jobs are agricultural extension agents, cabinetmakers, tailors, seamstresses, carpenters, and artists in making saddlebags or other types of sacks.