Etiquette of Mount Vema

The Mount Vema Royal Society, was initially mostly made of yachtsmen and maritime people, and if one wishes to become an accepted member of the Mount Vema Community today, one has better learn to practice its etiquette, a set of guidelines that will help you steer your behavior as you move through the Mount Vema daily routine. Rules, rather than being stuffy or classist, will serve to make life more pleasant for everyone.
 
When onboard, etiquette rules generally apply to all individuals. Most community members have shared cultural and linguistic heritage that originated in Europe and Japan, and as such some points of traditional European and some Japanese etiquette apply, especially in more formal settings; however, Mount Vema has formed its own etiquette as well.
 
Names and forms of address
When first introduced to someone, one should address and be addressed as Miss, Ms., Mrs. or Mr. followed by the surname. Only minors should be addressed by first name. Once a relationship has been established, one may request to be addressed by first name. In particular formal situations, such a request can be considered a sign of trust and intimacy.

While professional, academic, religious, military and political titles, such as "Judge", "Colonel", "Mayor", "Reverend", "Senator", and "Doctor" are often used in social situations, Miss, Ms., Mrs. or Mr. are also considered appropriate, especially when one is unaware of such credentials. A personal preference should be honored once it is made known.
 
Bodily functions
One should attempt to suppress yawning in polite company, concealing the mouth with the back of the hand. Also, sneezing into a hanky, tissue, or side of your sleeve is expected, rather than turning or sneezing into the open air.
 
Bowing
Bowing is considered extremely important among community members. Companies commonly provide training to their employees in how to execute bows correctly, and it is also included in the education system where children normally begin learning how to bow from a very young age.

Basic bows are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides both for men and women, and with the eyes down. Bows originate at the waist. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion and the respect expressed.

The bows are divided into three types: informal, formal, and very formal. Informal bows are made at about a fifteen degree angle or just tilt over one's head to the front, and more formal bows at about thirty degrees. Very formal bows are deeper.

The etiquette surrounding bowing, including the length and depth of bow, and the appropriate response, is exceedingly complex. For example, if the other person maintains his or her bow for longer than expected (generally about two or three seconds), it is polite to bow again, upon which one may receive another bow in return. This often leads to a long exchange of progressively lighter bows.

Generally speaking, an inferior or a younger person bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior or an elderly person. A superior or an elderly member of the community addressing an inferior or a much younger person will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors or older person may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.

Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They tend to occur with frequency during the apology, generally at about 45 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three, sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the severity of the offense to express extreme regret.

When dealing with non-community members, people will simply shake hands. Bows may be combined with handshakes or performed before or after shaking hands. Generally, when bowing in close proximity, as necessitated when combining bowing and shaking hands, people turn slightly to one side (usually the left) to avoid bumping heads.
 
Letter writing
Personal letters are written by hand using blue or black ink, no computers for personal letters, so practice your handwriting. Red ink in letter writing should be avoided, since writing a person's name in red ink suggests a wish for that person to die.
 
Respectful language
There is an entire grammatical rule-set for speaking respectfully to superiors, customers, etc., and this plays a large part in good etiquette and in society as a whole. Children are taught to act harmoniously and cooperatively with others from the time they go to pre-academy.

This need for harmonious relationships between people is reflected across the community behavior. Many place great emphasis on politeness, personal responsibility and working together for the universal, rather than the individual, good. They present disagreeable facts in a gentle and indirect fashion. They see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively.
 
Service and public employees
You only need to board one of their yachts or other vessels to understand why they are known for excellent service. Such claims are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify. Nevertheless, service at public establishments when the city is completed is likely to be maintained to highest standards.  Friendly, attentive and very polite, as reflected in a common reminder given by managers and employers to their employees on board of their vessels: "the customer is the boss." (This is comparable to the western saying, "the customer is always right".

Generally, service employees will seldom engage in casual conversation with a customer with the aim of forming a rapport as sometimes happens in western cultures. The service employees are expected to maintain a more formal, professional relationship with all customers. Private conversations among service staff are considered inappropriate when a customer is near.

Staff must speak in a humble and deferential manner and use respectful forms of language that elevate the customer. Thus, customers are typically addressed with the title – "sir" or "madam". A customer is not expected to reciprocate this level of politeness to a server.

Dress for employees is normally neat and formal, depending on the type and style of establishment. Those whose job involves touching people—often wear white gloves, not just in medical facilities, it applies to sectors.
 
Birth of a Child, Weddings and Funerals
People attending any of this events, should bring money, known as “My Wish” in a special envelop usually sold for these occasions. The amount is not important, it is the gesture and the will to offer your support. People can also bring “My Wish” after, when they did not attend.
 
Special birthdays
Twenty One: The twenty first birthday, is when a person becomes an adult.
Sixty: The sixtieth birthday, when five cycles of the Chinese zodiac have completed.
Seventy: The seventieth birthday, "very few live a long life up to 70 years of age".
 
Invitations
Hospitality requires that when extending an invitation as a host, one anticipates and provides for the needs of the invited guests. "Strings" may not be attached to the invitation. Guest responsibilities include dressing appropriately to the occasion, and providing one's own transportation and lodging. As a courtesy, the host may include dress instructions.

It is incorrect to include any suggestion that gifts are, or even could have been, expected at a hosted event, and therefore no mention of gift registries or other prohibitive or prescriptive statements on an invitation are permitted, such as "Monetary gifts only," or "No gifts, please." If a guest inquires himself, such things may only then be brought up by the host. Only overnight guests should feel obliged to bring a gift for the host.

An invitation is meant only for the people to whom it is addressed. "Mr. and Mrs. Jones" does not mean "Mr. and Mrs. Jones and any of their relatives they may wish to bring." If wishing to invite additional family members, the host should not add "... and Family," but instead should be specific rather than have the invitees guess what exactly this means. Individuals may decline or accept invitations extended to multiple persons. For example, a woman may accept an invitation extended to her entire family, even if the husband and children must send regrets (all in the same letter to the host)

Invitations for mixed social events, such as parties, weddings, etc., must be extended to the established significant others of any invitees, such as spouses, fiancés, or long time or live-in boy/girlfriends. The significant other must be invited by name, and the host should inquire if it is not known.

If the couple does not live together, the host should inquire as to the partner's full name and address and send a separate invitation for formal occasions. If a person's socially established partner has not been invited, etiquette allows him or her to politely request that the host do so. Persons without socially established partners may not request to bring a guest, nor is a host expected to invite singles to bring a date (i.e., "[Invitee] and Guest").

When receiving an invitation, one is obliged to respond in kind as soon as possible. This means if receiving the invitation by phone, reply by phone, etc. One must accept or decline even if "RSVP" is not specified. To not do so is an insult to the host.

Most formally, invitations are hand-written, but for large numbers, such as for weddings, engraved or printed invitations are acceptable, though less formal. Printing is considered less appropriate than "frank and honest" handwriting.
 
Seating
If seating is limited (or there is standing-room only) in public transportation or waiting areas, it is proper for people in good health to offer their seats to an elderly person and to those with special needs, such as the frail, disabled, people with infants, and pregnant women. It is considered rude, however, to ask another person to give up his or her seat, as they may have a medical or physical condition that might be unknown to you.