Just Now...

Time and time management is something of an enigma, especially here where everything is on African Time. African time does not follow any conventional clock it goes at what every pace it feels like and people organize themselves on their very own pace which can be slightly frustrating for someone like myself who tends to follow the conventional clock.

A prime example of this is the whole array of words used to mean a short period of time or a time coming. These terms include just now, now and the always helpful now now. I have to say I have picked up the use of these words and do use them quite regularly, but the problem which arises is that everyone has their very own concept of the amount of time these terms reflect. In addition to each person having their own definition of these terms they also change with the situation in which they are applied. Just now for example would, to me, imply a few minutes in most cases, such as in a restaurant when you wave down a waiter and they say they'll be with you just now, so you would figure in most cases a few minutes. But if I was meeting a friend just now could mean anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes, well in some cases even more, that usually depends on the nationality of the friend. Nigerians are exceptionally bad at this and in most cases will give you time in minutes but than a Nigerian minute is not actually 60 seconds more like 5 minutes, if someone was to tell me they would meet me in 15 minutes I automatically take it as probably closer to half an hour, or more... oh that tricky Nigerian minute.

Now as well is quite tricky sometimes, in most cases it basically means a minute or 2 but again it could mean up to ten minutes, all depending on who is using the term. Now now on the other hand means right this instant, well right this instant in African time that is. I use this relatively frequently especially at school, I'll tell my advisor I'll do something now now, which means when I leave him I'll go whatever there's no waiting period involved.

In general things do move a little bit slower with African time, no rush a very rasta type of mind set. I never except anybody to go running off to do something, even walking down the street I realize I haven't quite acclimatized to the pace of life here. I am getting better but I fly by people walking on the street, I don't have anywhere I need to be but there is a certain pace that one needs to keep so that at least you realize your still moving. It is nice to slow down sometimes but when your working with other people who are not on African time, you have to keep reminding yourself, no use the conventional clock not the African time.

Time does have a tendency to disappear on me though, I think this has to do with the whole mind set, well I hope or I may just be losing my mind. There has been many a night I go somewhere or even hanging out at home and I know I need to go to bed early having every intention on doing so, it's 7pm and say I want to go to bed by 11pm, 4 hours plenty of time to hang out and chat for a while or do whatever, but the next thing you know its close to midnight and you have no idea where the last 5 hours went, I always think its only been about 2 hours. The reason I think it may be the mind set (plus I don't want to think myself as losing it) is that you slow down and relax and move at the African pace but the clock just doesn't seem to join in with the relaxing and just keeps motoring on. If I go home I'm going to have a hell of a time trying to re-adjust to this whole real time thing, ah just another reason to stay.