8058: RE: 8007: RE: 8004: Re: 8001: In re: Manners (fwd) - About Haitian time and US time (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: ":)" <isa99@hainet.net>

Are we talking 'bout the same country? Nothing starts on time in Haiti! I've
been living there for most of my life & I've never attended anything that
started  at due time.. (well, anything but school). Worst, often, the few
that will make it a point to show up right on time or a bit before will be
penalized; they will be the only ones around & will worry `bout the schedule
("Am i wrong 'bout the time? Wasn't it to start at....?" is what you'll
hear!) for approximately an hour or so -  the rest of the crowd will show up
of course, w/o any mention of their being late! >Want an example? My son was
having his 1rst communion recently; 'was supposed to start at 08:30 sharp...
08:00am, 2-3 families were there.. Most of the crowd was there by 09:00am,
the mass started at 09:30am... (was the priest late or what?).. Of course, I
was the only one complaining 'bout this to the coordinator.. To what use? As
she put it, "well, I had to say 8:30 to allow for the late ones to get
there.. so that we could start by 09:00 or so!"  See? It's part of our
culture.. & I don't think it'll ever change!

In Haiti,  whatever time you want to have something really starts, you tell
people it'll be an hour before... You give a time => the expected reaction?
Most will make it a point to show up late (of course, w/a smile!).. So
Haitian time is BEING AN HOUR (or so) LATE! Time has no value in Haiti...

In the US? Time is money... so everyone is (or will try to be) ON TIME!
If ever late (those 10-15 minutes delay), an American will excuse himself...
& say something like "sorry.." & will try to justify himself.

I'm haitian & I live in Haiti - a "place" with its own sense of time... Even
here, you sometimes have people telling you "Hey, it's Haitian (or US)
time!" so that you can "plan" your arrival..

So, Karen, take whatever your hubby says 'bout Haitian time w/a smile...  No
need to argue on this, anyway! :)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-haiti@lists.webster.edu
[mailto:owner-haiti@lists.webster.edu]On Behalf Of Bob Corbett
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2001 1:37 PM
To: Haiti mailing list
Subject: 8007: RE: 8004: Re: 8001: In re: Manners (fwd)



From: Karen Davis <kdavis@marygrove.edu>

About Haitian time and US time:
My Haitian husband scorns us Americans here in Detroit who always start
events 30-40 minutes late. He calls a late start "American time." He swears
that in Haiti things begin on time (not to say that I believe him).
Karen

Karen F. Davis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Head of Humanities Department
Marygrove College
Detroit, Michigan 48221 USA
Telephone: 313-927-1352
email: kdavis@marygrove.edu