Subject: Custom

Informant: Daniel is originally from Guayaquil, a city in the coast of Ecuador.  He is an only child and has just received a diploma in Business. He has lived in California for the past four years, but will be returning to Ecuador in the coming month.

Original Script: In Ecuador, if friends invite you over at 7pm, you are really only supposed to arrive around 8-9pm. It has now become a custom to arrive late to everything.

Background information by informant: You arrive later simply because no one wants to be the first ones to arrive, especially if others will only arrive a significant period later.

Context of performance: Usually surrounding any form of social gathering or occasion.

Thoughts: The custom is part of a larger body of knowledge specific to one community. Hence, the scheduling of an event for example, can be misinterpreted by those that are not part of that specific community.