Punctuality

I've been able to relax about this stuff when it's going from home to home, even if it means you end up sitting on the building stoop for 20 minutes. It can be very difficult to get across town no matter how early you leave sometimes. But I'm sorry, almost two hours late meeting someone if it were at a cafe or restaurant would be a little excessive unless there was an accident or a real emergency, in which case I personally would just cancel. I guess the text messages were supposed to negate the lateness, since most of the time people won't even send those. At least not young, broke people with no credit.

The last three times I went to look at apartments, I planned to and arrived exactly 20 minutes late, and it was still early, as one owner had gone to the grocery store, and the two others were in the shower. They were all supposedly desperate to rent the places, but you wouldn't know it... Can't really speak in a business context, because 3 times out of 5 when an Argentine is coming to a job interview at my work, they show up late or don't show up at all, and my boss would rather just hire punctual foreigners so I haven't worked with any Argentines (!) But I have to say, it's made me a more relaxed person out of necessity, so I don't view it completely negatively.
 
When they say 'un ratito', they really mean 'whenever'.
'Un rato' can mean even longer of course :)
 
So nothing changed? Argentinians were late 30 years ago when I lived there.
It used to be that if you showed up on time for a social event it meant you were desperate while being fashionably late was accepted because it meant that you had a life (as opposed to being bored to death and anxious for the only event in your life). It’s not intended to be rude; it’s just the way it is. I am really surprised to read that an Argentinian will actually show up early for a social gathering.
:)
 
Waiting for 2 hours is not normal! I'd say 30 minutes max, unless they have a pretty good excuse and a dependable arrival time. Calling before you leave to make sure they're at home or on the way is a good idea, too.

The relatives were probably upset that you left right before they got there, not that you didn't wait 2 hours, but rather that you decided to not wait another 10 minutes or whatever it was. I don't blame you - I would have left a lot earlier. Two hours is ridiculous.
 
I now determine acceptable lateness on a case-by-case basis. I go to a class here, run out of someone's home, where anyone more than 15 minutes late isn't let in the door until half-way through the class. Last week, I got there 10 minutes early to find two argentine pupils sitting on her doorstep as they were worried about going in early and being seen as invasive! (maybe earliness is rude here??)
After getting fed up with waiting for my boss to arrive, I now show up to work 30 minutes after the agreed time (this occasionally irritates him but 50% of the time, I am still the one left waiting so I don't let it bother me). I am always on time, however, if I have a meeting, presentation or appointment (dr, dentist, etc).
Socially, I find that showing up 20 minutes late cuts down on possible waiting time and, on the off-chance that the other person shows up on time, doesn't leave them waiting too long. If I had to wait for someone any more than 45 mins to an hour, I'll cancel by text and go home (claiming that I'm tired or have work to do). I think it's important to establish that while it's ok to be flexible, it's not ok to waste my time.
 
Godiva. said:
Waiting for 2 hours is not normal! I'd say 30 minutes max, unless they have a pretty good excuse and a dependable arrival time. Calling before you leave to make sure they're at home or on the way is a good idea, too.

The relatives were probably upset that you left right before they got there, not that you didn't wait 2 hours, but rather that you decided to not wait another 10 minutes or whatever it was. I don't blame you - I would have left a lot earlier. Two hours is ridiculous.
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That they were - I think my last txt was something along the lines of "anda cagar, no me gastes mas el tiempo". But everything is fine now I arrived 30 minutes late yesterday and they'd just arrived, so perhaps we've both learnt a lesson. :)
 
nativexpat said:
:eek: really, you wrote that? Now THAT is rude!!! Maybe that is what offended them...
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It was meant to offend. He's a big boy and can take it...

One of the things I find annoying about the locals (or perhaps it's just my family) here is that they feel they can get away with being inconsiderate, expecting that their behaviour will either be accepted/ignored or, con un poco de chamuyo var estar todo bien... But that's not always the case and so he took offence, as I took offence at having my time was wasted.

Now I know to make allowances for lateness, he knows to turn up sooner and everything is fine.
 
Punctuality?.....what's that?....I did hear it somewhere but I can't remember where or when..

...ahhh yes!....in Spain
 
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