I can't say every Mexican (National or by heritage) suffers from lack of punctuality, but in my family (mostly the women) many of us are famous for always running late! I often skate into a parking lot cutting it close or being a few minutes late. Since I met my husband I have become more punctual, but that is only because he makes me aware of the time and keeps me in schedule.
You see... I HAVE no concept of it (time). Outside of work where I can meet deadlines and stress about the clock ticking, I am usually unaware of time passing. I have a short attention span and my husband always teases me by shouting "SQUIRREL" when I talk in circles trying to get back to my point in a conversation. I lose my train of thought or forget that I need to get going and instead busy myself with things I believe will take only a few minutes, but end up eating up more time that I originally figured. NO CONCEPT OF TIME!! I can keep appointments, but arriving on time consists of several stressful hours for me.
I hate to say it, but I allow my husband to carry that burden for me. He keeps an eye on the clock and makes me focus. He herds me towards the shower in an effort to get me to start getting ready. Sometimes he gets cocky being able to get ready in a flash like most men can and he ends up running short on time leaving me waiting on him. He thinks I don't notice, because he thanks me for being ready. I make the effort not to drive him crazy with my "slow-mo" ways, but sometimes I just can't help it.
Anyways, as for my family running late. When arranging our wedding ceremony I tried to allot a few minutes for those family members who I assumed would be running late. Our wedding coordinator asked what time the ceremony should begin, I answered "well, the invitations say 7 p.m, but I know my people! Let's count on starting around 7:15" Somehow that was translated in to don't start seating people until 7:15! We didn't marry in a church but at the hotel where we held our reception. The staff at the hotel posted one tacky sign on the doors to the ceremony room stating seating would begin at 7:15. All those punctual people ended up at the hotel bar killing time, including one nervous groom!
I ended up commandeering an elevator while I waited/hid and our maid of honor rounded up everyone at the bar and in to the ceremony room! It all makes for a funny story now, but I learned my lesson. My people are late, but the rest of the world ticks in unison!
As a Mexican, I have to agree that, yes, we are always running a little bit late. Some call it irritatting, others call it charming. I call it me. My boss calls it fired.
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed to confess that I have always had laid back employers and luckily never worked at a place where I have to punch a "time card".
DeleteSpeaking of no concept of time, remember when you thought it wouldn't take but a second to re-pot some of the plants on the kitchen window sill? Two hours later, you had plants everywhere and the kitchen table was covered in potting soil.
ReplyDeleteWhich would not have been that big a deal--except it was Thanksgiving morning and your family was coming over for dinner that afternoon!
TWO HOURS? You exaggerate my love: another family trait that has been rubbing off on you! I do admit it wasn't a wise thing to take on. It took more time than I expected.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this from my wife, who's Mexican, and I didn't believe it until I saw it. She intentionally made the wedding invitations state the time of the wedding as 2 hours early; it worked out perfectly, because her side of the family came right in time for the ceremony. Also, on Thanksgiving, my parents showed up right on time, and her family showed up SIX HOURS LATE, when the food was already packed away in the refrigerator. Yeah.
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