Purple sparkle flip-flops are my work shoes. There are pink ones, too, but I've pretty much claimed one of the purple pairs. They're about an inch too small, but since they're only worn in the hallway I figure it's okay.
Each day I offer up most the Dari I know in effort to greet the doorman. "Salaam Alaikum. Chetor asteen? Hoob asteen? Sahat Shooma hoobas? Tashakor. Hoob astom." I'm pretty sure most those words aren't even spelled right, so don't learn from me, just know it says something like, "Peace to you. How are you? How's your health? Thank you. I'm good."
Watching locals greet one another looks like a competition for who can think of the most things to say while the other is talking. The men place their hand over their heart as they utter each word. Women don't generally greet in public, but I've found in private, we kiss. Mostly I get 3 kisses, but I've had up to 6. We've ended with our right cheeks each time, but have started with right or left. All this adds up to a bunch of rules I apparently still don't know!
But I do know to take off my shoes when I enter a building. It's nice when there are house shoes available, but if not, my sockfeet will do. House shoes are absolute necessity for the bathroom though, as this is always a very wet place. There is usually a pair of flip-flops just inside the door if you aren't already wearing some.
House shoes, however, are just for hallways. As soon as your feet hit carpet, those house shoes rest at the door. Sometimes if a room gets crowded your house shoes disappear before you return to them, but they're usually just a door or two down.
After taking my purple sparkle flip-flops on and off a half dozen times throughout the day, I return to my moccasins to go home, where my brown fuzzy slippers await me.
