Guatemala Time

One of my first ‘aha!’ experiences in Central America was seeing a sign at a hostel that read:

We operate on Guatemala time; please keep this in mind when making arrangements and voicing concerns.

What is Guatemala time?  In essence it means there is no time.  The natives have no concept of time.  An appointment for 9am could happen at 9:15, 9:30, 10, tomorrow, or never.  Even transplants seem to have been effected; after 3 months in country I have yet to have anyone arrive on time for an appointment, including Americans and Europeans, whether they have been here one month or 10 years.

It’s easy to excuse tourists and other newbies, because they can’t possibly know that you can’t depend on someone’s word as it regards the time.  After all, if your shuttle driver says he will pick you up at 2pm and doesn’t show until 3:30pm, it’s hard to be on time to an appointment.

However, I’ve noticed that long-time residents are always late as well.  Have they succumbed to the temptation to live a life free of time, or are they merely inconvenienced by the reckless disregard by natives of the turning of the earth?  I can’t say.

These observations are easily made.  The difficult question to answer, though, is ‘Why?’.  I asked alot of expats and frequent visitors and received no substantial answer.  The common refrain, as evidenced by my friend John’s comment was, “They just don’t f***ing care”.  This might be true, but seemed inadequate, so I’ve endeavored to observe more closely and come to a conclusion.

I have concluded that locals have very little opportunity for upward mobility, and as a result do not think much of the value of their time.  Of course, most people here are poor, by any standard, and so there time is not of much value anyway.

In the US and Europe (and increasingly, Asia), people value their time not just for the present value, but because of the future value of their time (through education and training and increased opportunities that lead to enhanced earning potential). Generations of opportunities have lead people in the developed world to see advancement as a natural process.

In the third world, this is far from the case.  Generation after generation has experienced crushing poverty and little advancement.  They respond by resisting the desire for improvement, seeking solace through contentment, simple pleasures and appreciating what little they have.  The virtue of this approach is noteworthy, but as an ‘ethic’ passed from one generation to the other has the effect of placing virtually no value on utilizing one’s skills or improving oneself.

The result in daily life is that time has very little meaning.  Why work harder when very little can be gained?  Why arrive on time when it will likely mean no advancement or increased pay (or when others won’t arrive on time)?  Why put in the extra effort to plan ahead or develop organizational skills when they are not appreciated by your culture or may be valued only in organizations which are beyond your reach?

So, John may be right, but the ‘why’ requires a little more understanding.  How to cope?  I still plan my day and set appointments, but I’ve greatly reduced my expectation of anything happening on time.  By lowering expectations, I reduce the self-inflicted frustration that naturally follows.  I keep reading material or an Ipod with me at all times, so I never waste my time, and I always have a back-up plan.

In an ironic way, a culture that resists being tied to the clock may require you to spend a little extra time planning your life to avoid inconvenience and frustration.