“Now I’m the foreigner” moment #3: What’s the rush?

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Before coming to Torrevieja, I’d heard about “Spanish Time,” but I didn’t appreciate the full sense of the thing until I had to mail a simple letter. Sure, you could call it inefficiency, but the Spanish like to think of it as patience. I suppose it’s not for me, an American, to decide.

Meantime, here’s a rough translation of some common time measurements.

“Tomorrow” = In a few days.

“In a few days” = More like a week, maybe even a week and a half; let me check with my supervisor tomorrow (see “tomorrow”).

“1 week” = 2 weeks.

“1 month” = It might get lost. Better aim for 1 week (see “1 week”).

“I’ve got a tight deadline” = This isn’t going to get done before siesta, so you might as well siesta and come back.

…

Bless ’em.

Then again, this view doesn't exactly make me want to get stuff done either.

One response to ““Now I’m the foreigner” moment #3: What’s the rush?”

  1. olivia on tomorrow – month four « the Art of Waiting Avatar
    olivia on tomorrow – month four « the Art of Waiting

    […] recently posted a blog about time measurements in Spain. It’s a very short piece, but since you’re already here, […]

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