African Time

Even being in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city bustling with energy and swelling with immigrants from the country’s villages (which by the way is causing havoc with city planners), there seems to be a slower pace of life. In everything you do, from getting to point A to B, to bargaining at the market, and simply buying more phone credits, expect to take more time than you anticipate. Service here is friendly, but slow –like watching paint dry.

The “New York minute” does not exist here. It’s more like the “Lusaka hour”. Kate says that in the villages it’s worse. When someone tells you to meet in the morning, it could mean anytime from 7am to 11:59am (even if you both agree to a time). This also applies to train schedules outside of the city. At least in Lusaka, things operate close to the agreed time –often budgeted with a slight delay.

One of the most memorable meetings I had was with the VP of Habitat for Humanity, he came two hours late, then had the gall to ask me for money. Another was at the University of Zambia where Kate was to brief her research assistants. The professor was punctual, one assistant was 30 minutes late, and the other three never showed.

I have to admit though, taxi drivers here have been punctual. I suspect due to the direct financial incentive. Money talks, or in this case, money knows time.

Perhaps the best way to summarize the Zambian concept of time is through a Welsh expatriate that I joined on a Hash* (that started on time). We’ve all heard about GMT. Well, he said in Zambia, it’s called “ZMT”: Zambia Maybe Time.

I will return to the States with the patience of a Saint.

*A Hash is a run through the bush were a trail is laid out by a “Hare” prior to the run with codes that direct Hashers. The Hashers (runners or walkers) have to find the code markings for it leads to the beer at the end. On the trail there are shortcuts that the walkers can take so they can get to the beer about the same time as the runners. Total distance covered ranges from 4 to 8 miles depending on how aggressive a Hasher is in searching for the trail. A lot of chaos, shouting, cuts, and sweat ensue –but beer is a powerful incentive in the African bush. (More on a Hash will be written in another entry).