You're Late
It has been said that punctuatlity is the virtue of kings. In that case no one in Spain wants to be kingly. I've also heard that punctuality is the virtue of the bored, which would mean boredom is as rare as a street carpeted with ten euro bills. If you make an arrangement to meet someone at three o'clock, don't worry if you're late. If you're at the meeting place at ten past three, the person you're meeting will probably be there at quarter past. If not later.
For some strange reason, punctuality is not a trait of the Spanish character. One would expect that of a doctor's office or a flight, where there are always delays and the flight never leaves at the assigned hour, nor does the doctor see you exactly at the appointed time. But the lack of puctuality extends to almost every aspect of life. There have been important exams in my daughter's life, where punctuality is required if you want to get in and sit them. However, people have been allowed in maybe a half hour after the exam begins. Any official event never begins at the designated hour. If the president is going to make an announcement at five o'clock, the reporters will begin broadcasting a half hour earlier and at around ten past five will begin saying the president is expected at any moment. They'll say that for the next three quarters of an hour. But that happens generally only when whoever is going to appear is Spanish. When my daughter and I went to the AC/DC concert in Madrid I expected it would begin some time after ten. I'd gotten to expect the extra fifteen minutes. However, they began exactly on the hour. But then, they're not Spanish.
That lack of punctuality also extends to repairmen. If there is an emergency, a plumber will generally appear before the day is out. Even though they may have promised to appear before the hour is out. If there is no emergency, they'll probably say they'll be by before the end of the day. Don't worry. You can be out till night and you won't have missed them. But the next day you better call them to remind them. After the second call, they'll probably show up at the beginning of the following day. When you drop off your car at the garage it's more of the same. If they tell you to go pick it up within two days, you'd better call first. By two days, the mechanic generally means three or four.
There is the rare person who expects someone at the time agreed upon. My husband is one of them; I'm another. I expect punctuality because I grew up in Boston and I learned that punctuality is polite and only to be expected. My husband is simply a Spaniard who expects someone to abide by his word, and that means showing up when they say they will. We live in the wrong country.
For some strange reason, punctuality is not a trait of the Spanish character. One would expect that of a doctor's office or a flight, where there are always delays and the flight never leaves at the assigned hour, nor does the doctor see you exactly at the appointed time. But the lack of puctuality extends to almost every aspect of life. There have been important exams in my daughter's life, where punctuality is required if you want to get in and sit them. However, people have been allowed in maybe a half hour after the exam begins. Any official event never begins at the designated hour. If the president is going to make an announcement at five o'clock, the reporters will begin broadcasting a half hour earlier and at around ten past five will begin saying the president is expected at any moment. They'll say that for the next three quarters of an hour. But that happens generally only when whoever is going to appear is Spanish. When my daughter and I went to the AC/DC concert in Madrid I expected it would begin some time after ten. I'd gotten to expect the extra fifteen minutes. However, they began exactly on the hour. But then, they're not Spanish.
That lack of punctuality also extends to repairmen. If there is an emergency, a plumber will generally appear before the day is out. Even though they may have promised to appear before the hour is out. If there is no emergency, they'll probably say they'll be by before the end of the day. Don't worry. You can be out till night and you won't have missed them. But the next day you better call them to remind them. After the second call, they'll probably show up at the beginning of the following day. When you drop off your car at the garage it's more of the same. If they tell you to go pick it up within two days, you'd better call first. By two days, the mechanic generally means three or four.
There is the rare person who expects someone at the time agreed upon. My husband is one of them; I'm another. I expect punctuality because I grew up in Boston and I learned that punctuality is polite and only to be expected. My husband is simply a Spaniard who expects someone to abide by his word, and that means showing up when they say they will. We live in the wrong country.
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