Island time? Why do we accept this excuse?

[scrane]

Don't all popular dive destinations have all inclusive resorts where everyone is happy to kiss your @@@?

 

[KathyV]

Don't all popular dive destinations have all inclusive resorts where everyone is happy to kiss your @@@?

There aren't any big all-inclusive resorts in the Caymans but the people are usually still very pleasant, and the dive operations are generally very prompt, efficient, and friendly, at least in my experience.

Sometimes the meal services aren't always fast in the Caymans but we don't mind as long as everybody behaves friendly and acts nicely. There are small, diver-dedicated AI resorts on all 3 Cayman islands and the service tends to be quicker, but the people are still nice.

 

[pauldw]

Sounds like some people need to do their diving in Switzerland. I'm guessing things run on time there, and everything is very efficient. Can anyone address Swiss dive spots?

I really like river time. It's about the best thing in the world. Just a background awareness that the sun is making its way across the sky. Get the rafts launched onto a big western (US) river for a multiday trip, with food layed into the coolers with dry ice, the toilet strapped in, tents and sleeping bags dry bagged up nicely. No electronics. Just nature. There'll be a beach a ways down the river to camp on whenever that day's light starts to dim. There's no hurry to get there; you pull in when you pull in. Meantime, there's fun in the rapids, and then rafting up together to chat or to switch between boats on the flat spots, and lots of lazing about. When you neither know what time it is, nor care, because you're in a much better place than the rat race, it is sweet indeed.

Meanwhile, I just thought of this:

 

[markmud]

Hi All,

Doctor Mike has this thread in the bag. You probably won't wait long in Dr. Mike's waiting room.

Nah, that's the soft bigotry of low expectations. It's not a cultural thing...

That's not a New York thing.

You say that the captain will be there inshallah? Sorry, gonna book with the guy down the road, whose captain will show up whether God wills it or not.

And in your line of work, sooner or later some local guy is going to realize that by getting whatever you need done by 1100, he is going to get all of your business.

You and ScubaTurk know how a proper clock works--24 hour time should be the standard!

On the other hand (and sorry about getting a bit political), there is a huge list of horrific human rights abuses that are excused as "cultural differences". And that very same defense is used to justify terrible things around the world.

It comes down to common courtesy no matter where you live. I have to admit, some gringos are obnoxious. Cathy and I seem to get good service wherever we go, but we find nice people and hang with them.

Not sure what all of us are doing, but I certainly didn't do that. I was just making the point that saying something was a "cultural difference" isn't a free pass.

I think cancelculture tactics were used against you Dr. Mike!

Right. But the whole point of this is that "Island Time" or "Inshallah" is used as a response to any complaint. And the OP was saying that in his experience, it wasn't used to explain a cultural difference, it was used to justify poor service, where he couldn't get beer OR water...

Look, if a person opens a restaurant they should understand that they are offering a service first and food second. A fast food joint is good enough for filling my belly with food. Or, I could go to a supermarket for that.

If you are selling service, provide good service!

enjoyed it,
m

 

[W W Meixner]

I just filled up a huge bucket of popcorn to see where this discussion is going... Or ending... ;-)

Ya...and besides...what's the friggin hurry...it's Island Time...

If he wanted to hurry...he could have vacationed in NYC...and had store front pizza...

W.W...

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
Look, if a person opens a restaurant they should understand that they are offering a service first and food second. A fast food joint is good enough for filling my belly with food. Or, I could go to a supermarket for that.

If you are selling service, provide good service!

You may have nailed the cultural difference, there. What if in some cultures the idea of a restaurant is more about the food than the service, while in other cultures it's the opposite?

 

[Tribal]

Sounds like some people need to do their diving in Switzerland. I'm guessing things run on time there, and everything is very efficient. Can anyone address Swiss dive spots?

I guess you are sarcastic but I see this as a chance to brag
Verzasca river in Swiss

 

[Hank49]

In my experience traveling and working in countries in Asia and the Americas , "island time", or basically not getting as much done per man hour, is a growing problem due to everyone bringing smart phones to the work place.
Cooks, resort employees, shrimp hatchery workers, nurses....all on Facebook or whatever at work. "Island time" (having lived 9 years in Hawaii, 11 in the Philippines, 20 in Belize, 2 in Malaysia and a year in Thailand) has taken on a new level of not getting shite done. Worldwide.

 

[jeffsky29]

OK, you have convinced me! Gonna loosen up and try "Island Time" in my waiting room. If anyone complains, I'll explain that it's a cultural thing...

You better move your office to another country, or small town America. Thats the part you are missing. You are a biased American. It does not make you wrong, it just makes you not understand. Different country, different rules. They don’t care if you agree!

I have to admit, if you are a doctor it is a pleasure hearing a doctor understand they are in the service business. Please spread your message.

 

[jeffsky29]

View attachment 550964[/QUOTE]

SPOT on! This is exactly the issue with us Americans, and this is coming from an American corp exec that made surgeon money (I used to say doctor money, but that was before HMO’s ran the medical industry).