¿Que´ Hora Es? - What Time Is It?

The concept of time is really a uniquely human construction in that we do not simply mark the day and the night as my beloved dogs, Judah and Brodie do, but we segment the time of the day and night with clocks that in many ways regiment our lives. Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing a schedule, in fact I am quite a creature of a routine, and the clock and calendar and their markings of time are constant mechanisms that help to create structure and order in our daily lives.

Currently, I don't have a watch or a cell phone, but I do have a small alarm clock in the apartment (thanks to Taty) so that I can awake on time and not be late to work at the university. I don't have a clock on the wall or on the microwave, or on any other device except the thermostat in the apartment. Of course, I have a clock on my computer, but it is not always on and running all day and night. In my house in El Paso, I have so many devices with clocks such as phones, ovens, grandfather clock, bedroom alarm clock, guest bedroom alarm clock and more that I spend hours changing them back and forth during daylight savings time and such.

Yet, the concept of time between cultures in something quite different, and I often joke about this with friends in El Paso, when we talk about "gringo time" (always early for everything) or "mexican time" (coming an hour or more later than scheduled). In reality, both concepts of time are valid and uniquely cultural. Here in Chile, there is a mixture of both concepts, that we are on time for meetings and classes, but also that we take our time and enjoy our time together without always looking at the watch or clock. In some ways, this attitude really allows you to live in the moment and to be fully cognizant and participatory with the people with whom you are interacting and to really gain from the moment in which you are engaged.

I guess my point is that time should be savored and not always measured, and it is the quality of the interaction, not the length, that really makes for a meaningful event and hence, a meaningful existence. I think this can best be understood in an experience I had early this week while in  Viña del Mar. After the meeting, my colleagues Claudio, Juan and Carlos stated that we needed to take a little time to visit the coast, since we were right there and to walk down the boardwalk and feel the ocean breeze and mist. In doing so, we didn't look at the clock, but peered into the scenery as the sun set off the coast. It was wonderful moment in a beautiful setting that both marked time, but more importantly, impacted me as an experience to enjoy. There is a lot to learn here in Chile, but most of all, there is a need to slow down and enjoy each moment as unique.