meeting times
If there’s one thing I’ve come to know since moving to Angola, it’s to not take meeting times literally.
I’ve learned this the hard way plenty of times. Of course, “hard way” just means I’ve ended up sitting on a curb by myself for an hour and half while I waited for everyone to show up.
Don’t get there at 8.
I know now that “We’re meeting at 8am tomorrow” translates into “We’re going to start thinking about meeting at 8am, but probably won’t get together until about 9:15.”
Here it is 8:24am and I’m doing my damnest not to run out the door and apologize for being late. I just want to be clear about one thing though: this is my problem with time. After all, “Africa time” is not unique to Africa and I’m coming to realize that the whole Western1 on-time obsession is probably more the exception than the rule.
That said, you always have to be prepared for the 1/18 chance that everyone else shows up early due to some unspoken word or bat signal only Angolans can see. Then you’ll get chastised: “WHERE ARE YOU?! We are ALREADY here!”
UPDATE: It’s 8:52am and still no word. I think I’m in the clear.
