Welsh Time aka Amser Cymraeg

When I was first introduced to the idea of moving to Wales, I had no real concept as to what this would mean. I foolishly, like a lot of thick English people, thought it would be similar. I am learning the hard way. I actually was emigrating, to a land where they even live at a different time speed. Its not just a different timezone, its a bit like the difference between an old 78rpm record... and a 33rpm LP.

For you Americans that read this, Wales and England do have the same timezone. or should I say the clocks say the same time. Its just the people have a different idea what the clocks mean...

For example...
In England, if I was to arrange for a workman to undertake a task in my house.. maybe a plumber. We would set a time and the guy would be here... or he would phone to say he was held up. 15 mins late would be annoying, but would not lose the workman the job. I have taken time off work for workmen that didn't appear, but on the whole, these days, they know they lose the job if they don't get there... in England.
However, in Wales. You arrange a time... the guy turns up a day late.. maybe 2 days. He might apologise, but usually its as if he didn't notice.

Even my dustbins get emptied on anyone of 3 days... usually its a Monday, but morning?.. once... afternoon.. sometimes... Tuesday... could be... Wednesday, if we feel like it!

I had a call back on my car, a free job, which Citroen were happy to pay for. My old garage in England said it would take an hour... In Wales I had to allow 2 and a half hours for the same job, they also had the nerve to warn me not to be late as then it would not be done till the next day... Welsh time!

When someone says "see you later". I have come to realise that could mean in 10mins... or 10days. The time is sort of elasticated here. It stretches to eternity, but sags in the middle too. "welsh time!"

Time does strange things once a Welsh person gets behind a wheel. Einstein would have had new ideas about relativity here. They drive like they are trying to catch up all those missed days, through bendy and hilly country lanes that are 6ins wide, with huge chunks of rocks at either side of the road trying to reshape every bit of paint work. No more the laid back approach, its kill or be killed... death to the English people who dare to think they can retire to a quiet life in Wales!!

I am still working on a new theory that Welsh women seem to have a more realistic attitude to time than the blokes. The nurses and other medical and social services people do seem to have a better idea of time, although it could be because they leave it so vague. A district nurse will appear on a particular day, never at a certain time, so we wait all day. My parents have carers that turn up... at anytime, or so it seems, so my mum will wait for 3hours to get washed and dressed in the morning.

The new bathroom of my parents is still unfinished, they began on Sept 6th.. a day later than expected, of course, and its still not complete now... Oct 15th. How long did you think they quoted us at the beginning???
OK.. you are right!... just a week.. Amser Cymraeg! (Welsh time)

There is a sort of laid back attitude that drives me bananas here... I can't hurry anyone, I am not even a fast person myself, in England... I am always late, in England. But I am fast beginning to think that maybe my vocation in life here is to start a school of assertiveness, as they do seem a bit shocked when my temper finally shows here. I think I will soon have a reputation as a mad English woman... maybe I have?.. maybe I am?

The Spanish mañana would be a welcome relief here... to only wait a single day for a tomorrow that hopefully would happen... or Avrio in Greek...

But its not all bad news... Welsh time can have a good side. One thing I have found is that pubs also run to amser Cymraeg. The calling of "time" seems a bit odd when time is kind of elastic. So they think nothing of drinking till 2 or 3am...

Maybe I can adjust to this... If I ever had time to get to a pub now :(