Tardiness, Disrespect and living in Asia

I am habitually early for any meeting, date or scheduled event that I commit to attend.

It's an ingrained habit from growing up in the USA, plus retiring from a 24 year military career; where if one was late, it resulted in physical or financial pain.

As I got older and moved up the ranks, I realized that being late was interpreted as a sign of disrespect to another human being. If the person was your superior, there surely was Hell to pay.

Just the fact that someone is late, in a way, shows me that he feels that his time is more valuable than mine.

Basically, in regards to me and my time, his actions are saying...

This is why I make it a point to be early.

Even if I think I might be late, I text ahead of time - NOT after I'm already late.

So, yes, you can say that tardiness is one of my pet peeves.

I routinely spend at least 6 months every year in the Philippines - whose culture is heavily influenced by 333 years of past Spanish rule.

Like most Latin countries, punctuality is not a high priority and tardiness is an accepted cultural phenomena.

TBH, I have to bite my lip and hold my tongue almost daily!

Many times, I'm feeling like this.

But I usually do this.

Why?

Because I've learned that it's totally unproductive, time-consuming and always paints me as "that spoiled, obnoxious and culturally ignorant foreigner".

Oh well, such is life, no?

Submitted FYI.

May you and yours be well and loving life today.

In Lak'ech,

JaiChai