Are people from the sub-continent incapable of understanding the importance of time?

[MenInG]

I see this in meetings, weddings or any other aspect of life where they is the concept of a set time to achieve.

So 10am can mean 10:20 or 10:30 and so on!

Ok I am generalizing but is this your experience also?

 

[Giannis]

I'm always on time or ahead of time but lately I've understood the concept of being fashionably late so I've been arriving late to events and everyone greets me like I'm the chief guest so I guess being late does have its perks.

 

[MenInG]

Our Snr managers got so fed up of people showing up late in meetings that now the policy is turn people away if late by 2 mins!

 

[reversehook]

i personally lose it, i have to be on time... but yeah, its a fashion, egoistic move to drop by late; i will leave gatherings as per time, and then the "o abhi toh party shuru hoi hai"... the inner Khaabi Lame awakens in me then...

 

[MenInG]

I have yet to go to a Pakistani wedding where Khana has been served on time!

Anytime someone says buss 10 minutes, he usually means an hour!

 

[sweep_shot]

This is my experience also. LOL.

Desi people often are not good with being on time.

 

[LongHorn]

I have heard the same moaning from Latin Americans, Arabs, Iranians, Malaysians and so on, i.e. their people are always late to everything.
So it is not just South Asians

 

[Itachi]

It's same for everyone. Depends where you are searching for.

 

[ARK Rafay]

I am from Pakistan and I have experienced the same. 90% of the times be it wedding events, or meetings or meet up. People are always late.

 

[OMB]

Irks me too when I get late.

Generally I reach everywhere on time and many a times have reached the restaurants before the hosts do (something which MrsOMB constantly reminds me everytime we start the journey)

Now I am sat at home as my aquarium guy said he will be home by 4pm, it’s been two hours and he is still like 10 min away.

My boss has become tech savvy and has learned Microsoft teams and scheduling recently (old school) and it irks me when he abruptly changes meeting time from morning to afternoons and then evenings and finally cancels it because he is busy.

Attending wedding? I make sure to eat something and leave from home because I know that food won’t be served till they made everyone dance and have got enough happy moments. Just when it seems everyone has done dancing, the bride and groom start shaking their legs. I literally wait for one or two of those aunties to start fainting.

I love Amazon and Uber-eats as these are the only guys who turn up on time and so please people, do tip them well.

But it’s all ok, even the great Ganguly once turned up late for the toss

 

[MenInG]

And also true for cricket players we interview

Never on time!

 

[Colorblind Genius]

I see this in meetings, weddings or any other aspect of life where they is the concept of a set time to achieve.

So 10am can mean 10:20 or 10:30 and so on!

Ok I am generalizing but is this your experience also?

I think we all know the answer.

Most of us get late because by nature, we are a disorganized bunch. Event planning experience is horrible in our culture.

And then others are late due to fashion.

In Japan, if you get late, it's in seconds.
There is no concept of getting late over a minute.

Here in the U.S., if you are supposed to arrive at 9:00 AM then by default, it means be there by 8:45 AM.



Long time ago, I had went to Pakistan to get married. On the wedding cards, not only we specifically stated that the baraat will leave at this time SHARP! but also had verbally conveyed to every invited family/guest.

So, I think it was 8:30 PM and we left on time as planned.

Later, we had a few families demoralized and stopped talking to us. The reason was, "we didn't wait for them before Baraat left".

I was personally the bone of contention to face the heat and had to hear all the ironic statements like,

"Tum bahot Umreeka sey aey huvay ho hamay time ki pabandi sikhaaney".

"Aadha ghanta wait karlay tou Dulhan bhaag jaati?"

"Hamari family ki females make up aur new dresses pehan kar itnaa tayyar huin aur wahaan pohonch kar pata chala k baraat jaa chuki hai ... ye koi sharaafat hai?"

"Time par pohonch kar kia mila? Wahi khana jo baad mein milna tha".

"Hum time shime ki pabandi nahi kartay, jab ready hotay hain, aa jatay hain".

It was a lot of amusing fun as I laughed while over hearing these burned comments.

Later my wife and I had to personally visit these families, and apologize a few days before leaving for USA.

But yeah in general, in Pakistan we have hardly have any concept of putting a value on time.
And now, with everyone having a smart device, our entire lives are getting sucked into time wasting.

 

[JaDed]

Seasonal weddings are the least of the issue, even in MNCs if a person works dot 9 hrs he is looked down upon inspite of completing his work, makes the person conscious.

Time management is also really poor, South Asia must be really inefficient compared to other parts of the world.

Another issues doctor appointments, legal appointments etc everything is always up and down no value of other’s time.

 

[MenInG]

I think we all know the answer.

Most of us get late because by nature, we are a disorganized bunch. Event planning experience is horrible in our culture.

And then others are late due to fashion.

In Japan, if you get late, it's in seconds.
There is no concept of getting late over a minute.

Here in the U.S., if you are supposed to arrive at 9:00 AM then by default, it means be there by 8:45 AM.



Long time ago, I had went to Pakistan to get married. On the wedding cards, not only we specifically stated that the baraat will leave at this time SHARP! but also had verbally conveyed to every invited family/guest.

So, I think it was 8:30 PM and we left on time as planned.

Later, we had a few families demoralized and stopped talking to us. The reason was, "we didn't wait for them before Baraat left".

I was personally the bone of contention to face the heat and had to hear all the ironic statements like,

"Tum bahot Umreeka sey aey huvay ho hamay time ki pabandi sikhaaney".

"Aadha ghanta wait karlay tou Dulhan bhaag jaati?"

"Hamari family ki females make up aur new dresses pehan kar itnaa tayyar huin aur wahaan pohonch kar pata chala k baraat jaa chuki hai ... ye koi sharaafat hai?"

"Time par pohonch kar kia mila? Wahi khana jo baad mein milna tha".

"Hum time shime ki pabandi nahi kartay, jab ready hotay hain, aa jatay hain".

It was a lot of amusing fun as I laughed while over hearing these burned comments.

Later my wife and I had to personally visit these families, and apologize a few days before leaving for USA.

But yeah in general, in Pakistan we have hardly have any concept of putting a value on time.
And now, with everyone having a smart device, our entire lives are getting sucked into time wasting.

Haha brilliant - think sums up issues with time in the sub-continent!

 

[LongHorn]

Seasonal weddings are the least of the issue, even in MNCs if a person works dot 9 hrs he is looked down upon inspite of completing his work, makes the person conscious.

Time management is also really poor, South Asia must be really inefficient compared to other parts of the world.

Another issues doctor appointments, legal appointments etc everything is always up and down no value of other’s time.

Same is for Middle east, parts of east Asia, most parts of Africa, Latin America, and so on

 

[IAJ]

I often get late because of my children and wife. Whenever I go alone, I usually get there on time.

 

[Major]

this is true in Pakistan.

People think its cool to be late. Whenever i am late for something I start getting panic attacks.

 

[shaz619]

this is true in Pakistan.

People think its cool to be late. Whenever i am late for something I start getting panic attacks.

That’s a bit much