For a long time, we have heard the rumour that the British are “excessively” punctual when it comes to making plans. If you agree with the word in inverted commas, it is probably due to the culture clash between the UK and the rest of Latin America. For their part, the British might consider that in Mexico we have a habit of being “excessively” flexible with our schedules, or at least that would be the polite way of referring to our punctuality.
Before anything else, let’s emphasise the term punctuality. The meaning of punctuality is to have the “quality of being punctual”. In turn, to be punctual means to perform actions in time and form as established by a person or people, or even an institution or organisation. This concept varies according to each culture in the world and by “vary” we refer to the difference between British culture and Mexican culture.
For example, take punctuality when arriving at a celebration. In Mexico, when we are invited to a party or meeting, culture dictates that we should arrive an hour after the scheduled time. If we arrive at the agreed time, we will realise that the party has not started. There are even cases where the hosts have not even started to prepare for their guests. On the other hand, in the UK, guests are expected to arrive specifically at the appointed time, except for the 15-minute tolerance that some claim to be fashionably late.
Do not be misled into thinking that such punctuality is inhuman. The British trick is to arrive a little earlier than agreed and wait. The above also applies when attending different types of events. For doctor’s appointments, job interviews and so on it is advisable to arrive 5 minutes early. For concerts, matches, and other artistic and sporting events, it is advisable to arrive 30 minutes early. The reason for this is to give people a few minutes to prepare themselves. In the first case, a book can be read while being called to the consulting room or office. In the second case, one can buy food and drinks and get ready to go in. Whether it is a case of arriving at the host’s home, it is important to wait a little while at the entrance until it is time to ring the doorbell.
However, all this is possible because not only are we the ones who arrive on time but also because events and meetings are scheduled to start at the established time. Likewise, in Mexico, a concert or game often starts up to an hour later than advertised. In other words, our culture shapes us and we shape our culture. It is just as important not to arrive late as it is not to arrive too early, as it can be considered rude. Waiting a few minutes at the entrance is as cordial to the hosts as it is to call to say you are late and apologise when you arrive.
No doubt this whole concept of “British punctuality” is totally different from what we know in our country. For this reason, it is essential to be well-informed about the customs of the country or continent we are visiting. It is not advisable to arrive an hour late for a meeting and make the joke about being “late as is common in our culture”.