Bill Brown schreef:
> Hence my first post in this thread, wondering how the initial poster adapted
> to the local culture after 5 years. I spent my formative years as a child
> in Germany. There, bus schedules would offer times such as 14:23 and that is
> the precise time the bus would arrive. I managed to adjust to the less
> punctual lifestyle of living in the U.S. as an adult. I imagine we can
> adjust to most any cultural norm if we want.
Right, you can adapt to almost everything, as long as it does not go
against your own set of values too much.
I lived in the Netherlands for 55 years, a country which is almost as
punctual as Germany. Or was, it is getting less. We used to arrive 5
minutes before the appointment, give or take.
Nevertheless, I had no problems with the lifestyle here in Brazil.
Perhaps because I was already used to that of Portugal, where I met
lateness of 1 or 2 hours occasionally. This did not happen here (yet?).
> I noticed a trend, though,
> that my financially better-off Brasilian friends were less concerned with
> being on time than friends of lesser means.-Bill Brown
It could be. Brazil is a very class-aware society, showing off a bit by
being late is sometimes considered "classy". Not too much though.
This reminds me of the story my wife told me. She attended a wedding of
her friend. The bride is always late, this is a habit. Half an hour or
so will do.
This one overdid it, she arrived over an hour later. Part of the guests
missed it, they were already heading home, angry.
M. van Tilburg
Petropolis RJ
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