(Journal Entry: Thursday December 12th, 2008)
I’m sitting on my coach passing the time by watching Tempo, the music video TV station. I am waiting (I do a lot of that here) for my IPP to call me. She gives me a ride to work some mornings. This morning we were supposed to leave at 7:15, but there is no telling what time we will actually roll out. My guess is 8:00. As I have mentioned before, this course of events is quite typical; that is, any and all events start significantly later than scheduled! Any mention of its frequency is always met with the typical explanation, “Ye, Caribbean time gasa!” Gasa is just another slang for ‘man’ ‘dude’ ‘brother’… ye get da idea, gasa?
Despite my knowing that everything happens on ‘Caribbean time’ I can’t help but be ready or show up on time for everything! It seems as though American society has successfully imbedded a since of punctuality in me that leaves me feeling guilty any time I am late. Additionally, I fear the classic situation; which would be choosing to show up to an event one day 30 minutes later than scheduled simply to find everyone already there, waiting on me, and wondering why I would be late to such a significant affair.
You might mention to me, “Well, just don’t be late for a significant event,” and I would tell you, “What’s insignificant; debriefing the student body about a students recent death, a mandatory parental training workshop held for all school counselors, my IPPs wedding, or an HIV/AIDS walk that is due to begin promptly at 9:00?” All of these events seem significant enough to imbue a sense of promptness, but each one of them started an hour late! Participants are always left waiting, and I always show up on time for the waiting.
7:55 and still waiting for the car.
Oh, and did I mention, we are scheduled to attend a youth summit today, but first we must drive 15 minutes to school, attend an assembly, pick up a couple of kids that will be going to the summit, and drive another 15 minutes to the summit location. The summit is scheduled for 8:00!
(Car didn’t arrive until 8:15 this day)
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1 comment:
I can totally understand your plight on this one! I'm a rather punctual person as well...and having a project manager background has only reinforced my 'on-time' or early habit.
It does certainly seem to be a 'Caribbean' time thing, since St Vincent and the Grenadines has the exact same culture here. LOL...our APCD and a few of us had a small debate if the tardy-tendency was the habit of a few or a cultural norm. Unofficially, I think we won to say it was a norm.
Working as an NGO developer--I have the exact same issue you have on a VERY regular basis. Sometimes people just don't show up at all...
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