5. African time
"God has been active in the story of the community since the beginning of time."
— Bryant L. Myers
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| On safari with my coffee to-go |
"We will start at 8 o'clock," Jessyka said.
"Eight o'clock American time, or African time?" we asked, laughing.
"An argument can be made that eight includes anything from 8:01 to 8:59!" was her half-joking reply.
Upon arrival to NHU, we quickly learned about 'African time.' In regards to understanding local terms, Kidder writes, “As in mastering a language, one had to learn not just the literal meanings of words but also their connotations, and to grasp those one had to know the politics and economic systems and histories of a place. Only then could you really understand an event.”
We first understood African time to be the relaxed punctuality standard that seems to be common in Uganda. But we further found that not only is it a pattern of late starts, it is an attitude: a slower way of going about daily life.
Our guide Joanna explained that, being relational people, Ugandans will stop to greet and catch up with their friends and acquaintances that they pass. This might take a while, so they might not be 'on time' (by Western standards) to their destination. On one hand, our trip became an opportunity to practice patience. But on the other hand, African time asked us to pause and connect and be present.
I'm a 10-over-the-speed-limit, make that to-go, shortcut kind of girl. I prefer drive-throughs and express lanes, and I would always rather minimize small talk: it gets in the way of my goals and stifles me when I'm going about my life.
Uganda taught me that it's okay to linger. It's okay to tell someone how I'm really doing when they ask. It's okay to drive the scenic route and live in the now.
I'm really prone to distract myself by pretending to be occupied with important things. In truth, those things might just be a rapid scroll through my Instagram feed or Facebook timeline. I like to feel busy because it makes me feel important. Being left with a lot of downtime and slow internet on the Uganda trip, I learned that sometimes African time is the most fulfilling way to live.
We first understood African time to be the relaxed punctuality standard that seems to be common in Uganda. But we further found that not only is it a pattern of late starts, it is an attitude: a slower way of going about daily life.
Our guide Joanna explained that, being relational people, Ugandans will stop to greet and catch up with their friends and acquaintances that they pass. This might take a while, so they might not be 'on time' (by Western standards) to their destination. On one hand, our trip became an opportunity to practice patience. But on the other hand, African time asked us to pause and connect and be present.
I'm a 10-over-the-speed-limit, make that to-go, shortcut kind of girl. I prefer drive-throughs and express lanes, and I would always rather minimize small talk: it gets in the way of my goals and stifles me when I'm going about my life.
Uganda taught me that it's okay to linger. It's okay to tell someone how I'm really doing when they ask. It's okay to drive the scenic route and live in the now.
I'm really prone to distract myself by pretending to be occupied with important things. In truth, those things might just be a rapid scroll through my Instagram feed or Facebook timeline. I like to feel busy because it makes me feel important. Being left with a lot of downtime and slow internet on the Uganda trip, I learned that sometimes African time is the most fulfilling way to live.
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