Building a House (Post #1)

The Celtic Tiger is now a memory and you could be forgiven for assuming that prices are low and trades-people are available all over the place. They are not. But the system/culture here is strong. Trying to organise things in the US style just doesn't work, and frankly it is nice to see the culture restate itself.

Time is not something to be used as a commodity here. Time is living. It is a philosophical entity to be experienced and enjoyed and lived, not something to be scheduled, abused or misunderstood. Things get done here when they get done - not when you/I say they will be done.

We are at the finishing stages of constructing a new home that we started approximately six years ago. It has reached this stage by allowing the cultural approach to timing and scheduling take it's course. It has. It worked out beautifully while we were away because there was no sense of urgency on our part. Indeed we enjoyed getting to know some new people and rediscovering old acquaintances through the project.

Now that we are living here and somewhat anxious to get into our new home we are more aware of the schedule (lack of) and the cultural philosophical approach to time. Forty minutes chatting on the side of the road is still in vogue as it was when I left 20 years ago - and that is nice, it's a good thing.

Anyway, we/I are accepting the "time" as it is and in fact we are pleasantly surprised at the progress of the project and this is all happening within this approach to "time." We are "settling in."

Trades people show up when it fits into their "time." Generally if you ask a trades person what time they will be here tomorrow it is received with amusement/bewilderment and the question is not answered directly. Trades people don't show up when they say they will, if they say when, but they do show up and they work later here than my experiences of the US. So the work is getting done in "time." And it is on track. And it is getting done right (I hope).

Without trying to apply pressure to any individual I feel strongly that administering any kind of time-pressure on trades people here would have adverse effects (and we/I don't want any of those!). It gets done when it gets done.

For now it is getting done in "time" and also in time. So that is keeping everyone happy. It seems that we are settling in!