It is fascinating to know that despite the fact that a number of people frown at late-coming, some persons or countries see being punctual as a sign of disrespect. We believe some people would rather relocate to this country majorly for this reason.
Looks like Venezuelans are just like Indians! Reaching on time is considered rude in Venezuela, and it is recommended to reach at least 15 minutes later than the scheduled time.
Guests who reach on time are looked down upon as being too eager and greedy. Well, Venezuelans should take some cue from Indians! Venezuela is not the only country that treats time offhandedly. Disdain for the clock seems the rule in most Latin nations and many other countries.
Foreigners accustomed to living in nations ruled by the sweep of the second hand find it difficult to shake off habits learned in their nations. It took one British reporter months of arriving on time at events — and thus being the first one there — before he began showing up late.
“Yet, I still don’t feel comfortable planning to show up one hour late,” he says. Some residents intent on planning their days down to the minute never adjust and instead try single-handedly to change the way time is measured here.
One of the US business executives got so tired of his employees’ tardiness that he began locking the door the minute after a meeting was scheduled to begin. His Venezuelan employees caught on after a few lockouts. The executive eventually gave up and left.
The problem with time is one of the reasons I left Venezuela,” says the businessman who now works in the US. Longtime residents urge newcomers to take advantage of the system.
For example, they note, you can show up three hours late for a party and feel guilt-free. Another benefit is that you need not buy an expensive watch. You can also get a lot of spare reading done during the day.
For reporters, it’s not unusual to spend three hours waiting for a press conference or interview to begin. One journalist says he could have read “War and Peace” in one year, using the time spent waiting for press events to start.
The inexactness of time measurement does not seem to bother Venezuelans. One US businessman attributes this to Venezuelans having a sixth sense for the moment an event will begin. “We foreigners arrive either too early or too late, while Venezuelans seem to breeze in just as the event is getting underway,” he laments.
