Little cultural annoyances

There is one thing I often do wrong, culturally. I skip the intro and get right to my business. But that is wrong. Here, you don't just call someone up and say, "Hey, what time is the meeting tomorrow?" You call them and ask how they are first. After a few minutes you can ask about the meeting.

Now for me, this is just annoying. It wastes my time. It's even worse when you are calling on a cell and paying close to a quarter a minute. (On cells they do allow you to be more brief, with just a how-are-you, perhaps.) But looking at it from their point of view, I'm the annoying one. When is that gringa going to stop being so rude!?

I can't tell you how many times I've walked up to someone on the street, perhaps a street vendor, and asked for directions, with no intro. Often I've gotten back a cold stare, with the deliberate words "Good afternoon." That's a reminder that I've just been rude, and am being corrected. So I must say good afternoon, penitently, and then I can ask my question.

These are just simple cultural differences, and it illustrates vividly the difference between a time oriented and a relationship oriented culture. Neither is wrong or right. But the correct way, of course, is "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."