"Swahili Time" is based on a clock that is six hours behind ours. Ironically, this was done to simplify the process of telling time (lol). See, Tanzania is just south of the Equator, so the sun rises at 6AM and sets at 6PM every day of the year. In "Swahili Time", dawn coincides with 12 O'Clock (6:00AM to the rest of the world) and dusk is the same, 12 O'Clock (6:00PM to people like us). In "Swahili Time" locals count upwards from Dawn to Dusk. Simple, right?
Swahili Time is unofficial, sort of. Governments and Schools measure time in the manner that you and I know, but almost every Tanzanian is familiar with "Swahili Time" and some use it to organize their lives.
This is particularly important to keep in mind if you travel to Tanzania. For example, if you call for a taxi and tell them that you need it at your hotel for "8 O'Clock" so you can get to the Airport to make a "10 O'Clock flight", your Taxi might show up at 2:00PM, which is "Swahili Time" for "8 O'Clock", but a full six hours before you expected them! I hope you packed last night!
So remember, 6:00AM is 12 O'Clock, Noon is 6 O'Clock and 6:00PM is the *other* 12 O'Clock. Is that clear?
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