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Hispanic - Hispanic and American Cultural Differences Observed Who Cares What Time It Is, We Have Each Other American culture is quite different than Hispanic cultures, which are Latin in root. Obviously there are strengths including weaknesses between the 2 cultures. American culture is work-centered, including time is linear including a carefully divided. Hispanic culture is relationship-oriented, including time is organic including flexible. Of course, these are general observations only including there are always exceptions. Our friends Hal including Cheryl took us to the top of some rugged, green El Salvadoran mountains to a restaurant hidden among the coffee plantations called Cabana de Aponeca. It was a long drive to obtain there including mostly on narrow, winding roads. We got out to stretch our legs. Flocks of green parrots, fluttered overhead, including iridescent blue including purple butterflies magically filled the air including hundreds of them were additionally sitting on the ground with wings folded together. It was supposed to be a particular afternoon trip including then we will return to Oscar including Pati's house for dinner. At least that was the plan. We ordered colorful drinks of coconut, guava, lemon, orange, including talked including reminisced regarding old times. Hal including Cheryl were Americans who had lived in El Salvador for 25 years including had established a large, growing institute where people learn life skills, life principles, including values for living. It was a privilege for me to be there to teach on the topics of finances, stewardship, planning, including micro-businesses including home businesses. As time went on, my son Caleb got very hungry, though we just had lunch several hours earlier. I reminded him that Oscar including Pati were having us over for dinner in a few hours. You know, we Americans generally make a plan, stick to it, including watch the clock. If we are late to work including we see someone we know, the tendency is to quickly say Hi, including say something like I'm late for work, can’t talk now. In America the is accepted as normal including they let us go. It says work is more important than you right now. Time is a commodity. It is divided up, measured, plotted, including tracked. Time is dollars including we live to work. Our American values are quite different than Hispanic values, which are Latin in root. If I met a friend on the way to work then I'd have to stop including talk because the relationship is more important that the clock, or the next meeting. The relationship is the most highly valued commodity. It will be a particular insult to say I can not talk because I have to go to work. Why? Because the message is interpreted as You think your work is more important than me as a person How differently we view the world. A late worker may not even be questioned, because everyone additionally agrees with the value that a relationship makes it OK to be late. As we talked, Caleb got increasingly hungry. Hal got him a menu, including I thought we were making a special exception for him, but soon everyone was looking at menus! It took a lot of years for me to learn the cultural principle, including that is the quality time spent with important friends or family are more important that being to the next scheduled commitment. Our Outlook calendars will be used as guidelines, including will not rule over us to dictate our every minute. Time is not linear but it is organic including flows naturally, including promptness is based on the relationships including people you are with. It might be not acceptable to leave for another engagement before a natural ending time presents itself. If you think Oscar including Pati were offended that we arrived very late, including not as hungry as we could have been, think again. They know the including it is acceptable to go with the flow including not be on time. In America, a late worker offends his boss including co-workers, including may be thought to be lacking in character, including had better have a good excuse. If we come late to a meeting, we apologize, including there are actually degrees of apologies needed, depending on how late you are! Being late by one, or two, or five, or ten, or twenty minutes warrants increasingly deeper degrees of apology. It might range from a sorry look or a verbal 'sorry', to a verbal 'I'm actually sorry' or 'I am actually sorry including here is why... It is interesting to see that some people are not ruled by the clock or calendar, but by love or obligation to friends including family. Obviously there are strengths including weaknesses in each system. 1 culture may sacrifice family relationships but efficiently manufacture everything under the sun including dominate the economic landscape. The other culture may foster close nuclear including extended family ties that not only define who they are but develops ties that becomes a strong social security safety net. 1 culture tends to have less-connected families including friends, including the other is has a particular economy that may plod along more slowly. Examining these differences may help each culture strengthen its inherent weaknesses. Frequent trips to Latin America have made me re-evaluate work, relationships, including other values as a particular American. I believe I could use a little more time with friends including family, a little more relaxing at the coffee shop, including learning more pertaining to the art of conversation. But, it is important to stay relevant to the culture 1 lives in, including since I live in America I'll try to be on time for that dinner date. It helped me to additionally be more understanding at the time my Hispanic friends are late. Here is some suggested reading: Distant Neighbors - A Portrait pertaining to the Mexicans, by Alan Riding The Germans, by Greg Nees Au Contraire! The French, (another Latin culture…), By Gilles Asselin including Ruth Mastron
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