Time

More traditional, usually older Ghanaians have a very relaxed attitude toward time, whereas younger, more westernized Ghanaians do not. When young and middle-aged people meet socially, there is usually up to one half hour grace period, sometimes even more. In business situations, one has a margin of about fifteen minutes either way. However, when one is dealing with an aging aunt or a grandmother, the sense of time can change dramatically. One can often spend the better part of a day waiting for an arrival or an event. Many Ghanaians tend to move frequently between situations in Europe or the United States, and Ghana. This can create some confusion in terms of how an individual relates to an appointed time. Times are typically expressed using the 12-hour clock, rather than the 24-hour system.