What is a lunch break?

I was surprised when I first got to China...

....but then I got used to it and was surprised other Aussies didn't think like that.

 I finished my lunch and gathered up the papers and things I needed. I had just started working at a university in China. I had taught some classes in the morning. In the afternoon I was planning to do some errands- I had to visit the Foreign Affairs office, and then go over to the other campus to see some in the English department office, then I was going to do some photocopying and printing. I was feeling very efficient as I had organized all the documents so I was ready to get all those things done in the one trip straight after lunch.

However, I went down to the FAO, but all the doors were closed and it was quiet. Hmm, strange. Ok, come back later, next stop English department. When I got there it was also all locked up. Then I realized the places where people park their bikes were empty, and there was hardly anyone out and about. As I walked back to my place on campus I noticed all the footpaths were empty, there wasn’t anyone about. It felt like night time.

Later I found out that between noon and 2pm everyone takes a break. They go home for a cooked lunch and a nap. In the hot part of the year classes don’t even start again until 2.30 (I found that the hard way too).

Compared to my experience of growing up in Australia whole concept of lunch break is different for most of Chinese society.

Cambodia is similar to China in that respect. Lots of the market sellers take a break over the hot part of the day, and often office hours are something like 7.30-noon, then 2pm-until dinner time.

I felt surprised and frustrated when I was in the process of learning about the lunch break. But then I was surprised again a few years ago when I was hosting a short term team from Australia. We planned their timetable so that most days they didn’t have anything on from noon until 2pm. I assumed they would have a nap. But some of them went shopping and exploring instead!!! After talking to them it seemed they didn’t even consider having a nap, I had considered they would do anything else.