Time: Belesia
Belesians’ approach to time is polychronic, meaning that they tend to perform multiple tasks at the same time, as opposed to the in-sequence (monochronic) view of Americans. That being said, the younger, more urban generation is beginning to adopt aspects of monochronic thinking. Belesia sits within the South Torbian Time Zone (STTZ), which is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); the country does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Key Dates, Time Periods, or Events
Routine, Cyclical Key Dates
Traditional Wedding Seasons
Belesians usually time their weddings based on three things: weather, agricultural cycles, and proximity to major holidays. Most couples prefer to get married in the cooler months of the year (November–February); this is complicated by the occasional presence of religious holidays during this period. In addition, many people will not marry in the month of Ramadan. A large portion of the populace is also engaged in agricultural pursuits, so wedding dates rarely fall during planting or harvest periods.
National and Religious Holidays
Non-religious national holidays follow the Gregorian calendar, while religious holidays—which are also national holidays—follow the Islamic calendar. The latter is lunar in nature, and moves approximately 11 days every solar year, thus causing the holidays to rotate through the year over time. Commerce comes to a complete stop on these days, and people spend the time with their families and at their local mosque.
National Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
| 1 Jan | International New Year’s Day |
| 15 Mar | Federation Day |
| 7 Oct | Military Day |
Religious (Islamic) Holidays
| Holiday | Description |
| Muharram | Islamic New Year (2 days) |
| Mawlid an Nabi | Birthday of Mohammad |
| Layla tul Mehraj | Ascension of Mohammad |
| Ramadan | Month of fasting |
| Eid al Fitr | End of Ramadan (3 days) |
| Eid al Adha | Festival of Sacrifice (3 days) |
Harvest Cycles
Agricultural cycles in Belesia are primarily determined by regional climate and the crop in question. Some crops, such as abaca, coconut, pineapple, and oil palm, are grown and harvested year-round; others—e.g., rice, corn, and sugarcane—follow distinct cycles. There are usually two crops per year for rice and corn: one in the wet season, and one in the dry season. If a region’s wet season is long enough, farmers may be able to plant and harvest two successive crops during this season instead of just one. Sugarcane is harvested only once per year: during the cool part of the dry season. (For additional information on Belesia’s agriculture and seasons, see the Physical Environment variable.)
Elections
Belesians directly elect the President and Vice President every five years; these officials are elected on separate tickets and can be held by members of opposing political parties. Members of the People’s Assembly are elected for five-year terms one year after Presidential elections, while local officials, who also serve five-year terms, are elected two years after the Presidential elections.
Cultural Perception of Time
The majority of Belesians are Muslim, and this is reflected in their perception of time. Insha allah, meaning “God willing,” permeates the culture. Time is viewed casually, and relationships are more important than the clock. Priorities determine the order in which events occur and meetings take place, and interruptions are not viewed as an annoyance, but rather as an opportunity to develop and strengthen other relationships. This view of time is known as polychronic—performing many tasks simultaneously—as opposed to monochronic (performing tasks in sequence).
This prioritization of relationships over the clock plays out in several ways. Tardiness has historically been a way of life in Belesia, and meetings inevitably run long. Side conversations and interruptions are the rule, not the exception, and are attended to with the same importance as the main topic. Decisions are based on consensus as opposed to “majority rule,” and are strongly adhered to once reached—as to change anything would require reaching a new consensus.
That being said, the influence of Western thought and the presence of Western businesses are resulting in a shift of time paradigms in the country. Younger people and those employed by international corporations are heavily exposed to the monochronic view of time and are beginning to adopt it as their own. This change is also occurring in the Belesian military, due primarily to two factors: its leadership receiving training by Western militaries, and its personnel being exposed to Western military thought during multinational exercises and deployments to other countries. This has caused strain between older and younger generations, as well as between urban and rural dwellers. While younger, more urban Belesians view it as “hip” to value the clock over people, Belesians that are older and more rural look askance at such beliefs and bemoan the deterioration of their culture.
Tactical Exploitation of Time
Belesian Perception of Time
The Belesian perspective on time leads to slow but firm decisions. Each person’s input is considered carefully, and all participants agree on the final result. The implementation can be slow, but this will have been accounted for in the decision making process. Another result of this process is that each and every party to the decision personally agreed to it, thus making it a matter of honor to follow through on his part of the agreement. It is this, more than anything, that ensures that action will eventually be taken. The increased influence of Western thought in the country has created some chaos in this area, as those adopting a more monochronic view tend to act faster, but are more likely to need to revisit a decision due to unforeseen complications during the implementation.
The combination of insha allah and the prioritization of people over the clock leads to a long view of conflict. Wars are seen as the result of poor relational decisions over an extended period of time; the obvious way to best win a war is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. The Belesian saying “sow a friendship and you will not reap an enemy” reflects this mindset. As such, both political and military leaders focus on creating and maintaining good relations with other countries. One result of this approach is cross training with other militaries, as well as the deployment of military personnel abroad; both are seen as stepping stones to stronger relations with other countries.
US Perception of Time
The time perception of Belesians will make them appear slow to act in the eyes of US military members, and the long timelines and extended consideration of issues will strain soldiers’ patience. The best way to interact with Belesians is to focus on reaching mutual agreement. US personnel should expect timelines to be loosely defined and double or triple what would be considered a “normal” length. Attempting to rush the process will be seen as rude, and will most likely backfire. Belesian military leaders that have received training in Western nations will be of immense value, as they can help bridge the cultural gap between their compatriots and US personnel. These persons must not, however, be viewed as a means to an end, but rather as potential lifelong friends. Only then will US military members be able to strike the right tone to be effective in their mission.