Attitudes about Time in the Target Culture
In India, time is given a very different importance than it is in the US. The urgency to be punctual is not as great as it is here, and being late is so commonplace in non-professional settings that it isn't considered to be offensive. When one extends invitations or to an informal gathering, there is an implicit understanding that the guests will arrive half an hour later than the time stated (give or take). Our friends on campus jokingly refer to this as 'desi time'. The difference in attitude towards time is due to the slower nature of life in my opinion. There is less of an emphasis to get ahead and to be productive the way there is here.
When I came to the US, it was difficult to initially adjust to the perception of time here. I'd frequently arrive late to group meetings and get togethers with friends, but slowly managed to get out of this habit by maintaining a calendar.
Replies