[Mark Liceaga]

Hello Friends

I´m from the US. I have read a number of times that Kiwis do not return your phone calls. Is this true? If yes, why?

I also have an English lady friend here in the US who also does not return phone calls (messages left on the machine) unless it is urgent on her part. For ordinary chit chat, she seems to call back at her whim, sometimes for weeks. Is this an English thing? I don´t understand it. Kindly explain.

Thanks

Mark

[dawn]

I don't think it's an English thing, I return a call when I pick it up, unless I get side-tracked. I find with old friends, I might not speak to them for weeks, but then we speak everyday, it depends on the situation.

What do Americans do? Do you return every call you get?

[Debbie P.]

I've never heard that before and it's certainly not an English thing. But maybe your friend isn't keen on talking on the phone. I'm not very keen on the phone myself. I prefer to talk face-to-face, and my friends know that so usually call round rather than phone. But I do return calls and would consider it rude not to.

[marcia]

Sounds strange. I'm from the uk and return 'most' calls. You can usually tell from the message if the other person expects you to ring back or not anyway!

[Oregonkiwi]

I agree with the other posts that it's a personal thing, not a cultural difference. Some people (in any country) just don't like making phone calls, or procrastinate, or lose messages, or.....