I am having a hard time getting used to the pace of things here. There is a huge emphasis on getting to work on time (7:30 – 4:30) yet once we get there the pace is extremely relaxed. People seem to spend a lot of time on Facebook and just sitting around talking. This does not mean they don’t work, but it is a more relaxed environment here. A meeting scheduled at 2 is lucky to start at 3 and it is likely some of the attendees will no show without any warning. Sometimes this is due to transportation issues as there are no taxis and a lot of people do not have vehicles. Buses go some places, but not all places and the only bus out seem to pass at 6:00 & 7:00 in the morning. There are combis. I have not yet figured out the schedule of these and where they go. Hitchhiking is common as well.
It is also important to learn that people will say they will do something, but it is not always true. It is a very non confrontational society. I hear that eventually you get used to the pace of things and that the first few months are the hardest. We will get there eventually, but in the mean time I need to keep reminding myself not to take it personally when people say they will take me somewhere and it never happens.
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