I have always looked to the concept of time and punctuality when traveling to new places, as I believe it can often be a reflection of the culture as a whole which informs the day to day practices in a given place.

As someone who was born and raised in the Northeast, I am used to living in a culture that is fast-paced where everyone seems to have a place to get to– in a rush. So when I travel, more often than not I find new places to be comparatively more relaxing than home because usually the pace of life is not as rushed. Ghana, however, has been one of the first and only places I’ve visited that seem to land on both extreme ends of the timeliness spectrum.

For me, commuting to work every day has been one of the most informative experiences in understanding the pace of life in Ghana. During rush hours, highways host a sea of walkers, hawkers, motorcyclists, taxis, cars, and of course, the ever so infamous tro-tros. Everyone, regardless of their destination, is determined to get to where there are going– now. Pedestrians will dart across the highway, drivers will yell at each other out the window, mates will wave their arms for you to move out of the way, and hawkers will run after vehicles that show even remote interest in the item that they are selling.

With the prevalence of drivers honking at each other, I can’t help but wonder if there is some secret language of honking that I have yet to understand. It’s not uncommon for vehicles to get a matter of *inches* away from each other, and though everyone seems to be trying to get to the same place, it doesn’t seem to inspire any patience in most of the drivers I’ve encountered.

However, the intense hustle of life and conversations seem to get in the way in the way of punctuality. That being said, though, Ghanaians are fully invested in the present moment, so much in fact, that sometimes that 1:00pm lunch actually turns out to be a 2:00pm lunch. The people here care deeply about doing the job (whatever that may be) right. And if that means sometimes spending a little extra time waiting for a meeting to start, then I’m here for it.