Current Time in Makeni
Sierra Leone's culture of time
Sierra Leone's culture of time
Flexible sense of time
Sierra Leone has a unique sense of time called "African time", and it is common for appointments and events to start later than planned.
Sociable lifestyle
Because of the culture that emphasizes connections with people, relationships are often prioritized over time, and standing conversations and visits along the way are commonplace.
Life with awareness of daylight hours
In some areas, a stable supply of electricity is an issue, and a lifestyle rhythm has been formed centered around sunrise to sunset.
Sierra Leone's values of time
Human relationships are important, but time is secondary
Rather than acting on time, people have a strong value of valuing conversations and relationships with the people in front of them, and strict schedule management is not common.
The pace of life is relatively relaxed
Rather than considering being busy a virtue, it is valued to spend each day in a natural flow, and many people feel resistant to being rushed.
The results of actions are more important than time
There is a tendency to place more importance on "whether you did it" than "what time you did it", and there is a cultural characteristic that emphasizes results.
Things about time that foreigners should know when traveling or moving to Sierra Leone
You should be lenient with your appointment
It is common for people to be several tens of minutes late from the appointment time, so you need to be flexible and not expect too much strict punctuality.
Public transportation and services are often not on time
Bus and taxis may have irregular operating hours, so it is better to think of departure and arrival times as a guide only.
It is effective to reconfirm your plans in advance for business meetings
You can avoid unnecessary waiting time by reconfirming your plans by phone or message just before a meeting or meeting.
Interesting trivia about time in Sierra Leone
The spread of the term "African time"
The expression "African time" is used in daily conversation and is familiar as a term symbolizing tolerance and flexibility regarding time.
Morning starts with sunrise
In rural areas in particular, many families start their activities at sunrise, and the movement of the sun is closely related to daily activities.
Events such as weddings can be delayed by several hours
It is common for celebratory events to start significantly later than normal, and it is not uncommon for the organizers themselves to show up more than an hour late.