TIME TALKS, WITH AN ACCENT
Time Talks with an Accent
In this essay Robert Levine minutely discusses about cultural differences in regard with the concept of time and the intercultural misunderstandings and conflicts that arise from the variations in the temporal concept of time.
This essay is based on the personal experience of the writer himself, as a visiting Professor at Brazil. In this essay, he discusses about the difficulties he had had in adjusting to a new concept of social time, which reflects different cultural beliefs, assumptions and values than he was habitual in his native country, i.e. US. After his experience with Brazilian students, teachers and other people, the writer realizes that the people did have different concept and values about the time. These people were unable to materialize the time and follow its pace.
Unlike American students, the Brazilian student ignore the time value and came in the class, without hesitation, even long after the commitment of the class. Besides they were in no luxury after living the class so far they surrounded the teacher for a longtime. Moreover, the writer also found that even the professors were not punctual. They made the people wait for a long time and never feel guilty for turning up late. Likewise his experience with the landlord suggested the same. Although he waited for his a longtime, he was unable to meet him doubted, the people of Brazil make appointments but they never trouble themselves respecting the value of time. Obviously, to understand their social time but it makes a great confusion to the people like the center, who is accustometed to the exactness of the time.
