2013:6 - Precisely

Egypt is often described as a “Mediterranean” culture, which is short-hand for relaxed and laid back when it comes to time. In a recent class a student asked me what “precisely” means and in explaining the word I gave this example: in America when a meeting is schedule for 3:00 pm it usually begins precisely at 3. In Egypt if a meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm it may begin at 3:00 or 3:30 or 4:00 or 7:00 or tomorrow. The students laughed and now when I use the word “precisely” they understand.

In general I’m a precise kind of person. At home I am unhappy if a meeting scheduled for 3:00 doesn’t actually start until 3:10. But I learned long ago that if I was going to survive in this environment I would have to learn to practice more patience. In general I do pretty well.

Today (because I couldn’t handle rice at yet another lunch) I decided to have lunch at an Italian pizza place on Road 9. I don’t think anyone would ever call the wait staff at this restaurant “attentive” but the food is good, the air conditioning is not set too cold, and when you’re tired of rice, rice and more rice, pizza with cheese seems like an exotic alternative. As I was finishing my meal an English-speaking man entered the restaurant. I didn’t hear him well, but I’m guessing he was American. He asked for a place to sit and planted himself at a table for 6. When the menu didn’t appear within 3 minutes, he went searching for a waiter to give him one and when that waiter did not come to take his order within 3 minutes of getting the menu, he looked around, got up and walked out of the restaurant.

In this laid back and relaxed environment (especially when it’s 97 degrees outside) I’ve been trying to imagine where he ended up going where he could receive better and faster service. As for me, I enjoyed my Sicilian pizza with eggplant and cheese … and no rice!