I had known about time zones since I was in primary school, but it was my trip to Japan in October 2023 that finally crystalised it for me. As we were 7 hours ahead in Japan, I would be halfway through the workday by the time my family would start preparing for the toils of the day back home in Namibia, and it would be 15:00 Japanese time until people would report for the 8:00 morning shift in Namibia.
Another thing I knew of in passing was the name Nippon, and the reference to Japan as the land of the rising sun. I learnt from my Japanese friends that the Japanese originally thought they were the most eastern country, and thus were first to see the sunrise daily. Of course, they later learnt of countries like New Zealand, which are further east.
During this time of the year, this difference in timezones globally also comes into play, as various parts of the world usher in the new year at different intervals, but at the same time. It feels a bit like different races of the same length and time, slated to start at various hours of the day. You see the others go, but you know you are in your race and therefore you do not stress abouth those that went ahead.
Just as the rising sun brings renewed hope and offers us an opportunity to rise and do some good work, so does the dawn of the new year. By now, the entire globe has celebrated the dawn of 2024, so it is safe to say: “Happy New Year, make your 24 hours count!”