Current Time in David
Culture of time in Panama
Culture of time in Panama
A relaxed sense of time, unique to Latin America
In Panama, the sense of time is relatively relaxed, and being late by a few minutes to a dozen minutes is common, and it tends not to be considered a problem, especially in informal situations.
The term "Panama time" exists
Due to the cultural background in which it is normal to be late for scheduled times, the expression "Panama time" is sometimes used, which symbolizes tolerance towards time.
Public institutions and events also start slowly
It is not uncommon for buses, public services, and events to start later than scheduled, so you need to act on the assumption that things will not always proceed on time.
Values of time in Panama
Relationships and conversations tend to take priority
There are many situations in which conversations and relationships are prioritized over being on time, and flexible behavior such as long standing conversations is accepted as part of the culture.
Emphasis on rhythm and leeway over efficiency
Even in business, the culture of "roughly being on time is fine" is rooted rather than strict schedule management, and atmosphere and trust are more important than time.
Time consciousness differs between cities and rural areas
While people in the capital, Panama City, tend to be somewhat strict about time, in rural areas a more relaxed sense of time prevails. It is important to understand and respond to this difference.
Things about time that foreigners should know when traveling or relocating to Panama
There are cases where people are "late to appointments with plenty of time"
Except for official business occasions, it is not uncommon for people to be 10 to 15 minutes late. If you bring your Japanese sense of time as it is, you may be confused.
Public transportation times are only a guideline
The operating times of public transportation such as buses are often inaccurate, so you need to be prepared to accept that departure and arrival delays are common.
Daylight saving time is not observed
Panama does not observe daylight saving time, so there is no need to adjust the time difference, but you should be careful because international time adjustments are different from other countries.
Interesting trivia about time in Panama
Schools and companies start early
Generally, schools start around 7:00 and companies often start at 8:00, so people have formed a morning-oriented lifestyle to avoid the heat during the day.
Some areas have longer lunch breaks
In some areas, there is a culture of taking a siesta after lunch, and lunch breaks can be taken for more than an hour, which can delay the start of afternoon activities.
When you ask "When are you coming?" you will often get a response of "sometime in the future"
Rather than making clear promises about the time, vague expressions such as "I'll be there later" or "Soon" are preferred, and this has taken root as a unique time culture.