Staff Management in Sudan

This job is my first time managing staff, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Still, I’m starting to suspect that staff management in Sudan is slightly different than in the US. To illustrate my point: a scene from my office a few days ago. I’m sitting quietly, typing away, and my staff member, let’s say "P" starts a conversation...

P: Steven-y, I need to ask you a question.
S: Okay.
P: So in Sudan, when a man wants to marry a woman, he must pay a bride price of MANY cows.
S: Um, okay.
P: And then one of the cows is killed and eaten by the two families at a big party. Cows are very big. They feed many people. It is very important to a family. Do you have this thing where you come from?
S: No. I mean, well kind of…
P: Yes, so you KNOW! It is VERY important. Well, my father when he is marrying my mother never paid the bride price and this has caused BIG problems in my family for many years. My uncles were VERY angry with us.
S: Okay… (I’m wondering where in the world this is going)
P: Then in 1997, this was during the war—
S: Right.
P: So because there was fighting in our home, we were in a refugee camp in Uganda and my father was dying. He was telling my brother and me that he wanted us to make peace in the family again.
S: Uh huh. (Wait, is P about to ask me for cows?)
P: So today my brother called me and he has been making plans. Next weekend, we are traveling VERY far to the home of my uncles to give them a feast on Saturday and to make peace together with them. This is a very important thing.
S: Okay…
P: So. Can I have Friday off?

I can't really envision that conversation happening in the US, but I don't know! Maybe managers are victims of the over-share in every culture.