MontegoBay, Jamaica
As you know, Jamaica is located in South of Cuba.
People in Jamaica are very tolerant, being worth there in ever lasting summer.
They say "Yeah, man!" where ever I am, and say "No problem!" whatever I ask.
They are also friendly.
I asked MontegoBay Yacht Club to fix the spare fuel tank.
We made a deal, and they were supposed to start fixing next day.
"Manana."
"What time are you going to start, tomorrow ?" I asked.
"Manana, manana!"
About 10 o'clock in the morning, they appeared with a tool box.
After a while, I went to check what they were doing.
But they seemed to do something instead.
"Why don't you start working on it ?"
"I'm fixing tool, man. I can't get started." said the guy.
Passing noon, they went for lunch.
I wondered they come here to prepare for tomorrow, then.
Actually, it has already passed 3 o'clock, when they were back to work.
As soon as they started, I heared "Manana, manana" again.
"The tool does'nt fit."
"What ?"
"The tool repaired does'nt fit!"
"The common sense I know is wrong here." seems more collect than "They are not only unpunctual and lazy but incapable."
Firstable, here is not Japan but Jamaica.
So time passes slower.
Secondable, they by no mean said anything against our deal.
Even though they did nothing at all today, they will try tomorrow again.
This is a thing I've found out since I came here, but they don't care if they waste time.
For them, it's a pleasure to get money, doing what they have to do.
So, they bike for more than 3 hours to come down to work.
And they say "No problem!!"
Like somebody says "Time is money.", time is deeply conected with money in my oppinion.
For example, the most Japanese people take a drive to save time.
If it takes a half hour to drive, you can work for 5 more hours to finish, during they are taking round trip by bike.
Then, you can make more money in another day.
Japanese people need extra money for car, movie, JUKU(Special school kids go after school for entering exam) and more.
I soon adjusted myself to their style.
One day, I invited them to go sailing.
The next day, they came on time.
Back to Sailing around the world alone.
GO TO HOMEPAGE