5/18/20121 Cultural Differences Concerning Time

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In the world we use the Gregorian calendar to standard the time with 365 days per year, with 12 months, 7 days per week, one day has 24 hours, one hour has 60 minutes, and 60 minutes has 60 seconds. However, the world has the same time but the perception for the time is based on our culture and some cultures create their schedules based on the importance of work, activities, family, business, social life, religion, and seasons.

There are many cultural expressions to explain the perception of time:

Punctual like a British “In Britain, people make a great effort to arrive on time, so it is impolite to be late, even by a few minutes.”1

American Time  “Americans may believe that all paid time on the job must be productive.”2

Hora Mexicana “Which treats time considerably more casually”3

Indian Time “Things happen when they happen”4

These expressions exemplified the interpretation that cultures have for the time and we need to pay attention when we visit another country because we will miss many things if we will not be on time or we will be upset if they will use another culture's time. 

And what is your time?

For me, I am from Mexico and when we make a party and the invitation has a specific time people arrive 30 minutes later. Arrive on time is to be waiting to start the party then if you visit Mexico and Mexicans invite you to dinner ask them Mexican time?

 



References

1 https://www.expatica.com/uk/living/integration/british-etiquette-106556/

2 https://iimn.org/publication/finding-common-ground/culture-at-work/time-and-punctuality/

3 http://www.exactlywhatistime.com/other-aspects-of-time/time-in-different-cultures/

4 https://riic.ca/the-guide/in-the-field/indian-time/#:~:text=Indian%20Time%20may%20mean%20early.&text=Indian%20Time%2C%20especially%20when%20it,that%20means%20EARLIER%20than%20planned.

 


Comments

  1. Zaida ADMMay 19, 2021 at 5:54 PM

    Oh! I think Mexican time is the same as Venezuelan time. Unfortunately, that is something that characterizes us and is considered normal. A situation that particularly infuriates me despite having grown up in a polychronic society. I believe that educational institutions have a great responsibility to give the deserved importance to those aspects related to the norm, schedules ... something that may clash a little with our way of being, but necessary in the development of a healthy society with equal opportunities, far above the influence peddling justified in the "family values or friendship".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karina Rodriguez NietoMay 20, 2021 at 2:22 PM

      As you said Zaida educational institutions need to pay more attention about this problem because in my country when we have a scholar meeting we need to wait to arrive the other parents to start because in the begging for the meeting we are only 4 and we cannot make agreement about the responsibilities for our children.

      Delete
  2. Helen J. KlingerMay 20, 2021 at 4:41 AM

    It seems to me "Brazilian time" is the same as "Mexican time"! But, as you said, we need to align the expectations before to avoid uncomfortable situations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karina Rodriguez NietoMay 20, 2021 at 2:19 PM

      I think like you Helen that Latin-Americans have the Mexican time because we have polychronic time and understand more about monochronic and polychronic time help us a better ESL teacher because we can understand the differences.

      Delete
    2. noemicanterasalcedoMay 20, 2021 at 5:04 PM

      it seems to Peru here people always arrive late to parties or any meetings, but I think we should be punctual as the Kimball´s hour. I learned that when I was a young woman, I think punctuality is a Christian attribute that we must follow and teach.

      Delete
    3. Karina Rodriguez NietoMay 21, 2021 at 5:39 PM

      Punctual is a good attribute that every people need to improve in life because I do not like to wait others and most when we are working.

      Delete
  3. Romina TomattiMay 21, 2021 at 5:31 AM

    How interesting it is to see that time is perceived so differently for each culture. I am Argentina and punctuality is something that characterizes us, in my case since I was little my parents emphasized the importance of respecting others when it comes to time since it is valuable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karina Rodriguez NietoMay 21, 2021 at 5:37 PM

      Wow, it is wonderful to know because many people think that Latinos are the same but this is misunderstanding about cultures.

      Delete

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