Sunday, October 28, 2007

CONFUSION; THE ONE HOUR SHIFT.

It has beet a bit confusing at times since I came to Norway. But not as confusing as Sunday. Tom, a friend of ours was supposed to get us at 1315 so that we go to attend a Sunday service. Yes; a Sunday service. The church we were going to normally has services at 1400 hrs.

I woke up in the morning and checked my watch. I switched on the computer to listen to some music. When I looked at the clock, I realised that there was a difference of one hour with my watch. I suspected that something was wrong.

At 1345 when he was supposed to get us, my phone rang. I didn’t expect him to call at that time. What we expected was the doorbell. All the same, he said that he will be getting us in one hour. I immediately thought the service had been moved by one hour. No! The service was still at 1400hrs! Time had just been shifted by one hour.

What was the most confusing was the way time had shifted by one hour. I have studied physics and I know the time regions and the accompanying dynamics in time determination. I just couldn’t understand how one hour can just be lost like that!! I tried to get a scientific explanation to no avail. I was trapped. I just couldn’t buy the one hour shift business. It was scientifically impossible!!!

I had to send a text message to a friend in Kenya to confirm what time it was. This was after checking the internet and confirming the tImes.

All the same, the explanation was so simple. On every last Sunday of October, the time is set back by one hour. This is to deal with the coming winter-more light. The same is done towards the beginning of summer-they add one hour. I have never been this confused!!!

It was a human explanation and not a sceintific explanation after all.

3 comments:

Miriam said...

I get that you got confused by the "Winter time". I've never thought about it that way, but it is a very unscientific thing to do. How is your work?

Unknown said...

Habari yako??

Haha, I can imagine you how confustt you where. I think it is so nice that you are in Norway Joseph. I hope we can meet one of this fine days:) My home place is about one hour from Stavanger, so maybe we can meet around christmas?
Have a nice evening.

Love Iselin from JKUAT:)

themoran said...

Mzee, talk about confusion and that is an award winner.

Am googling that shift ... cause its just too mind boggling!!!!


"Adjust!!!!!" thats what jamaaz from JKUAT are good at.....



Utazoea..pls stay around till Winter so that U can recover ur lost 1hr ...HA HA HA HA HA!!!! (loudest laughter)


Ole Toirai