Cultural difference in concerning time

24/05/2018

Jessica Hernandez

I recognize that each country has own culture. I have never heard something about Monochronic and Polychronic until study this topic in TESOL. My family and I live in Mexico, and Mexico has rules even we work hard to fulfill the rules but also in our culture is important to help, support, strengthen. Let me share with you an experience, 3 years ago, my husband was driving for a new address in Mexico City, suddenly we were lost, so we asked a taxi driver

Us: How can we found the correct way? and arrive at the new address?  was a surprise for us his answer

he told us: well, you only need to take the left street and some meters you will find your address. 

Us: but that street is opposite side! we couldn´t drive over there

Taxidriver: Oh don´t worry! only you will drive few meters, it´s ok!  I can help you, You follow me and I ´ll be your guidance

Us: Thanks!, but in this time we are going to wait.

Then the taxi driver has gone

Can you believe it? Even the taxi driver would break the rules to help us. Well after this experience, I learned that even in the taxi driver gave his sincerely support, "honesty"  always must exist. When is ok to be Polychronic? Well is no easy to explain but one example could be: (a supposition that) you are waiting and take a turn to receive medicine when an old man comes close to you but his turn was 20 numbers after you, so you decide to help him at the same you receive your medicine your aks for the medicine from the old man, and the Drugstore gives you the both medicine. If you decide to be a Monochronic person, I suppose that you will follow the turns.