During my exchange in Liechtenstein, one of the cultural aspects that has surprised me the most is punctuality and the different meal schedules people follow here. At first, these may seem like small details of everyday life, but after spending some time here, I realised that they reflect deeper cultural attitudes towards time, organisation and respect for others. Experiencing these differences has made me reflect not only on how people live here, but also on habits from my own culture that I had never really questioned before.

One of the first things I noticed after arriving in Liechtenstein was how seriously people take punctuality. When something is scheduled to start at a certain time, it actually begins at that exact time. People usually arrive a few minutes early so that everything can start as planned. At the beginning, this surprised me a lot because it is very different from what I am used to in Mexico.

In Mexico, time is often treated more flexibly. If something is planned for a certain hour, that is usually the time when people begin to arrive, not the moment when the activity actually starts. Because of this, many events start around ten or fifteen minutes later than planned. It is very common and generally not considered rude if someone arrives a little late. For me, arriving five or even ten minutes late has always felt normal, and it is rarely taken personally.

Because of this difference, adjusting to the culture of punctuality in Liechtenstein has been challenging for me. I realised that what feels normal in one culture can be interpreted very differently in another. Here, being late can be seen as disrespectful because it suggests that you are not valuing other people’s time. Understanding this made me more aware of how important time management is in this culture.

Another cultural difference that really surprised me was the meal schedule. One of the first things I noticed was that lunch often takes place around 11:30 in the morning. For me, this felt extremely strange. I remember thinking that it was far too early to eat a full meal. In Mexico, my eating schedule is very different. Sometimes I even have breakfast around 1 p.m., so the idea of eating chicken and vegetables before noon felt very unusual at first.

This difference made it difficult for me to adjust during my first weeks here. My body was simply not used to eating a large meal so early in the day. At the beginning, it almost felt like I was having lunch before I was even hungry. Over time, however, I started to understand that these schedules are connected to the daily rhythm of life here. People usually start their day earlier, which means that lunch also happens earlier than what I am used to.

Experiencing these cultural differences has made me reflect on habits that I previously took for granted. In Mexico, a more flexible relationship with time is often part of social culture. It can create a relaxed atmosphere and allow interactions to feel more spontaneous. In Liechtenstein, on the other hand, punctuality seems to represent respect, efficiency and consideration for other people’s schedules.

Although it has taken some time for me to adjust, I think there is something valuable in this approach to time. Being punctual shows respect for others and helps things run smoothly. Living in a culture where time is taken so seriously has made me more aware of my own habits and how they affect the people around me.

This experience has helped me see that everyday practices, such as when people eat or how they manage time, are not random. They are shaped by cultural values and social expectations. Because of this, something that feels completely normal in one country can feel strange or unfamiliar in another.

Even though I still find the early lunch time a bit surprising, I hope that by the end of my exchange I will have adapted more to these routines. I also hope that when I return to Mexico, I will remember what I learned here and try to be more punctual. This experience has shown me that small changes in daily habits can reflect larger lessons about respect, culture and understanding different ways of living.