Entering a Wat or a private home, it is customary to remove one’s shoes. In Lao homes raised off the ground, the shoes are left at the stairs. In traditional homes, one sits on low seats or cushions on the floor. Men usually sit with their legs crossed or folded to one side, women prefer solely the latter. Upon entering, guests may be served fruit or tea. These gestures of hospitality should not be refused. Since the head is considered the most sacred part of the body and the soles of feet the least, one should not touch a person’s head nor use one’s foot to point at a person or any object. Moreover, men and women rarely show affection in public. It is also forbidden for a woman to touch a Buddhist monk.