The document discusses different perspectives on time between various cultures. It notes that some cultures like Western cultures see time as rigid and structured, focusing on schedules and promptness, while other cultures see time as more flexible and focus more on relationships. The document also discusses personal experiences living in Sudan, where the author notes locals had a more relaxed attitude towards timelines and schedules compared to their own perspective, and discusses how their view of time changed by being immersed in the local culture.

1. Time

2. Kung Fu Panda

3. Yesterday is history

4. Tomorrow is a mystery

5. But today is a gift

6. That is why it is called the present

7. Time

8. Time flies

9. Time flies when you’re having fun

10. Sometimes time passes VERY slowly

11. Time flies …

12. Like an arrow

13. Time is strange

15. Time flies like an arrow

16. Fruit flies like a banana

17. Time flies

18. Time flies like an arrow

19. [Time flies] like an arrow

20. Time flies

21. Time flies

22. [Time flies] like an arrow

23. [Time flies] like an arrow

24. [Fruit flies] like a banana

25. [Time flies] like an arrow

26. [Time flies] like an arrow

27. Fruit fly

28. Time fly

29. [Time] flies like an arrow

30. Or maybe not

31. Sometimes it’s really slow

32. Time drags

33. Time drags

34. Time is valuable

35. Is time real?

36. Find time?

37. Make time?

38. Is it all illusion?

39. How about western people and time?

40. A: I’d like a watch that tells the time.
B: Don’t you have a watch that tells the time?
A: No, you have to look at it.
It’s a joke
Not very good, I know

41. But now our watches will TELL you the
time

42. Why are we obsessed with time?

43. Time
• When is it?
• Is it now?
• Or has it just gone?

44. The English language seems obsessed
with time
• I’m doing it now
• I do it (all the time)
• I have done it
• I did it
• What’s going on?

45. It’s April 1st. You meet your friend at
the airport to go on a trip abroad.
• You want to play a trick
• So you look sad and say …
• … I left my passport at home
• Your friend looks shocked
• Then you say, “But I realized and went back to
get it.”
• It’s an April Fool

46. It’s April 1st. You meet your friend at
the airport to go on a trip abroad.
• You want to play a trick
• So you look sad and say …
• … I have left my passport at home
• Your friend looks shocked
• Then you say, “But I realized and went back to
get it.”
• It doesn’t work.

47. What’s going on?
• I left my passport at home
• At some point in the past
• (Maybe you realized and went back to get it)
• I have left my passport at home
• This is in the past but relevant to NOW
• (If it’s relevant to now, you didn’t go home to
get it)

48. Past
• I have done it
• I had done it
• I did it in the past, before some other time in
the past which is relevant!
• Why is English so fussy about time?

49. It doesn’t wait

50. We CAN measure it

51. It’s a continuum

52. It won’t stop (will it?)

53. But what is it?

54. Can’t separate from space

56. Is time travel possible?

57. Of course not!

58. Actually, it IS possible

59. Yes! If you travel fast enough!!

60. Close to the speed of light!!

61. That’s very fast

62. Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity

63. Travel close to the speed of light

64. And come back

65. You’ll be way in the future

66. Apparently, this is true

67. Any cultural differences?

69. Monochronic cultures
• Do one thing at a time
• Rigid approach to time
• Strict agenda (plan)
• Focus on task
• Completion of job is important
• Emphasize promptness

70. Polychronic cultures
• Multiple activities at once
• Flexible approach to time
• No strict agenda (plan)
• Focus on relationships
• Relationship more important than job
• Promptness based on relationship

71. My story

72. In my early twenties …

73. I lived in the Sudan for one year

74. North Africa … pyramids etc

75. Pretty amazing, actually

76. Beautiful by the river

77. Incredibly nice food

78. Not much available in winter

79. Often felt a bit hungry

80. So it tasted even better!

81. Feasts were incredible

82. Water was like this

83. Taken straight from the river Nile!

84. Also tasted great!

85. At first I wouldn’t drink it

86. I got slight stomach problems

87. Got better quickly

88. When I went home and drank tap
water again

89. I had stomach problems again

90. Local transport

91. Local transport

92. Middle of the desert

93. Beautiful and green by the river

94. I was a volunteer teacher at a High
School

95. I was completely useless

96. I’m not joking

97. I WAS completely useless

98. Didn’t know anything

99. People gave good advice

100. I always ignored it!

101. They said the water is delicious!

102. I said NO! NO!

103. Eventually I tried it

104. It was delicious

105. Locals know best

106. When in Rome, do as Romans do

107. Well, maybe

108. Sometimes

109. Oh, forget it

110. Back to Japan

111. Our sense of time was certainly
different

112. People were TOO relaxed

113. ME:
• When is the train coming?
• When is the post coming?
• When is the bus coming?
• When does the holiday start?
• Etc.

114. They said:
• Tomorrow
• Maybe
• Next Friday
• Maybe
• Etc

115. Except it wasn’t maybe

116. • I should have just relaxed
• I would have had a better time
• There was no point in thinking about
schedules all the time

117. Some African/Arab cultures have a less
structured sense of time

118. We think:

119. Swahili has 2 words for time

120. Sasa: present time – Now!

121. Zamani: past time

122. Zamani: connecting souls

123. Zamani: a cycle

124. Zamani: not a straight line

125. Not like an arrow

126. So maybe our experience of time is
different

127. So who’s right?

128. And who’s wrong?

129. Maybe it depends on context

130. But the water WAS delicious

131. I had problems with my stomach for a
few days

132. Then I felt great

133. When I started drinking “normal”
water

134. After I got home

135. I had stomach problems again

136. If I could have my time again …

137. I would just take my time

138. And enjoy it more