Quote:
Originally Posted by AuburnAL
Is this a real phenomenon? I had always heard about it, but then recently reading a topic here I saw a joke about various Caribbean nationalities saying if you this nationality to show up at 8 he'lol show up at 9, this one will show up at 10, and so forth. Is it really this bad? Is this for just social events, work, or both?
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It does exist, though for social events. If you are invited to dinner party at 7 and actually show up then it is considered rude, as the hosts are most likely finishing up the final touches. The hostess might not have her hair in a state that she would want guests to see, so might even wonder if the event is the only thing going on in your life.
What they mean is show up by 8 and not at 10. More intimate gatherings 30 minutes late is OK, especially if you call to say that you are on the way.
Younger crowds late is OK, as is true for younger people EVERY WHERE!
What an American will how ever find strange is the Caribbean habit of dropping by. Close friends/relatives don't need to be invited to visit for a "lime". If you are busy, no big thing as they just move on to the next friend. Much less so where families have young kids though. This might be less common in Jamaica and Trinidad where people tend to be busier, and commutes longer.
For business purposes its the same 15-20 minutes that is tolerated by SOME Americans. For a job interview or a sales call you better show up ON TIME!
Those jokes are just jokes. Usually Trinidadians bearing the brunt. Kingston and Port of Spain are busy cities so there is less tolerance for lateness than in maybe smaller more laid back places like Dominica or St Vincent.
The main difference between the US and Caribbean way of doing business is that more time must be spent establishing a relationship, and more time will be spent socializing in order to develop trust. Just like smaller cities in places like the South. An obvious haste to close the deal is seen as in poor taste. They need to get to like you and trust you first.
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