Time in Africa

Here in Africa the perception of time is very different. 

It starts with the clock (6 hour time difference). 

So when someone says, we will meet saa tatu (3 hours) he means 9 o'clock in European time. 

So it is important to know if we are talking about Swahili time or European time, because you might still too early or too late. 

Although, being late does not really exist in Tanzania, frankly it amazes me that they have a word for it (nimechelewa = I'm late). 

Partly, I have adapted very well. 

On Sunday the church starts at 9 o'clock in the morning starts (European time) and I have to walk about 10-15. So I leave my house at 9 am because I know I'm still well in time. Too bad for me if Janusz doing the service, because he is usually on time. 

But otherwise, I still have some trouble with it. For example you ask a handyman to come over and he says he will be there at 10am. 99% chance that he is not there, so at 11 o'clock I'm going to call him, and then he says "ninakuja" (= I'm coming). Against my better judgment I think he really is coming, but this is not always the case. If he arrives at 1 or 2pm, it is fine with him, he is there anyway so what's the problem! (Now I maybe exaggerating a bit, because some people really come in time, but this is just to give an idea.)

Now it's not always the fault of the person who comes . For example, you leave on time and run into someone with whom you just need to have a chat ( just to say hello and walk on does not really belong in this culture, at the very least you should be informing as to the health of the person and the family , work, etc). Also Daladala's do not run on time , so you just have wait ( and because there is always one more who can fit , elastic vans here , that waiting can take quite some time) . 

Or rather to conclude this piece , the most important lesson you have to learn here is, we have the clock, they have the time.