Any honest Dominicans left?

Ducadista · Nov 12, 2011

As a long time fan, first time poster to Dr1 I have noticed many threads on unfortunate things that has happened to expats and tourist in DR. Being a season traveler to DR as put me in the stereotypical mind set that most Dominicans are out to take advantage on foreigners, until my last trip Jun 2011.

As I finished filling up my jeepeta at the Texaco station in La Vega, my car would not start. With my limited mechanical skills I popped the hood (bonnet for others) to look for anything disconnected. Unable to find anything wrong left me to ask a guy that was filling up next to me for a jump, but the engine would not start.

The man said that he knows a good friend that can come and look at my car, I agreed, but I was thinking that this was going to cost me big. The mechanic came (with an ajudante) and after 30 mins found the problem and fixed it. By this time a good crowd had formed around my car, I told my wife to start getting the cash ready because I knew I would have to pay an arm and a leg to the guy who called the mechanic, the mechanic, his helper, guy who filled my tank and probably the watchman enjoying the spectacle.

To my surprise and shock, the guy who made the call nor the mechanic wanted to accept my money, they told me that they just wanted to help. I insisted and gave it to them for their trouble, but the point here is that I was guilty of stereotyping people trying to help in order to make money.

What is your good Dominican Samaritan story, enquiring minds want to know, Gracias.

bachata · Nov 12, 2011

That's one of the good things still left in my fellow Dominicans people! I just saw a man stuck on the middle of the way a few minutes ago in a dark place here in NC, his car didn't have the four way lights working.. he may get rear ended if the police don't come soon to help him out.

I did not stop because he may think I'll rip him up!!!

JJ

Jumbo · Nov 12, 2011

I find the farther away from a tourist area or big city the more honest the dominicans get. I lost my camera at the weekend carnival last year in Jamao. The person that found it looked at the pictures and tracked down Fannie, my friends wife that was in some of the pictures. I tried to give the guy money ( $400 camera ) but only wanted a Presidente. i trust the people of Jamao and the campo of Polo Roto at about 99%. They never ask me for nothing and have very little.

I also only have good things to say about Moca. When we go there shopping everyone is friendly and helpfull. We were looking for an extra large coffee maker and could not find one. One of the store owners called around, had it delivered and charged cost plus moto. I am not good with names but we always stop into this guys store when in town. But then again my buddy goes into every effing store in town. He doesn't get out of the campo much.

gringostudent · Nov 12, 2011

to the OP, I consider the cibao a totally different country. My wife is from la vega and what you described is pretty much par. In the south or east....not so much

SKing · Nov 12, 2011

Did you check the trunk?

SHALENA

AlterEgo · Nov 12, 2011

gringostudent said:
to the OP, I consider the cibao a totally different country. My wife is from la vega and what you described is pretty much par. In the south or east....not so much

Depends where you mean. Our house is on the south coast, west of SD. The front and back doors are thrown open about 7 am when we get up, and they don't get closed until it gets dark - and that's only the back door. We only lock the front gate when we leave the house, otherwise that's open too. Had the house 20+ years. No dog. No alarm. No cameras. No gun. We also aren't flashy, all our jewelry stays back home.

AE
Who prays she didn't just jinx herself

Acira · Nov 12, 2011

Having a flat tire between Santiago and La Vega on a Sunday night, only 5 minutes on the side and a motoconcho stopping to ask what is wrong. In 5 minutes some guy's appear out of nothing and start to get the flat tire of and off they went to find a shop on Sunday still open to return with another one. In the mean time nice chat with the owner of the goats stable where we just parked. We were there for a good two hours and were on our way again.

Having falling out of petrol between Sosua and Cabarete (own fault, thought we could make it to Cabarete haha), drove up on fumes at Kiosko. Stopped and owner came to ask what was wrong. No problema, jumped in his car with jerry can and went to get petrol, came back, filled up, we paid the petrol but he refused anything for his ride. We were driving again within the hour.

Car when we just bought it had a problem with the breaks, they would lock simultanious suddenly which was a potential dangerous situation as you could slip sidewards.
Back to dealer (well, not a dealer but repair shop), guy worked on it but said, need to go to Santiago with car because I cannot fix problem. Came back, breaks fixed and we didn't have to pay anything because we had a warranty of six months which we thought honestly, naah, will not work. Well it did. Didn't even charge for working hours and drive to Santiago.

trangalanga · Nov 12, 2011

It's really good and refreshing to read about these things. I wish they weren't so rare.

whirleybird · Nov 12, 2011

trangalanga said:
It's really good and refreshing to read about these things. I wish they weren't so rare.

You must live in a different Dominican Republic to the one I live in.... or something along those lines.

The times I have been helped by natives of this country with little or no remuneration demanded or expected are too countless to itemise.

Givadogahome · Nov 12, 2011

Acira said:
Having a flat tire between Santiago and La Vega on a Sunday night, only 5 minutes on the side and a motoconcho stopping to ask what is wrong. In 5 minutes some guy's appear out of nothing and start to get the flat tire of and off they went to find a shop on Sunday still open to return with another one. In the mean time nice chat with the owner of the goats stable where we just parked. We were there for a good two hours and were on our way again.

Having falling out of petrol between Sosua and Cabarete (own fault, thought we could make it to Cabarete haha), drove up on fumes at Kiosko. Stopped and owner came to ask what was wrong. No problema, jumped in his car with jerry can and went to get petrol, came back, filled up, we paid the petrol but he refused anything for his ride. We were driving again within the hour.

Car when we just bought it had a problem with the breaks, they would lock simultanious suddenly which was a potential dangerous situation as you could slip sidewards.
Back to dealer (well, not a dealer but repair shop), guy worked on it but said, need to go to Santiago with car because I cannot fix problem. Came back, breaks fixed and we didn't have to pay anything because we had a warranty of six months which we thought honestly, naah, will not work. Well it did. Didn't even charge for working hours and drive to Santiago.

Remind me never to bother accepting a lift from you :bunny:

drstock · Nov 12, 2011

Jumbo said:
I find the farther away from a tourist area or big city the more honest the dominicans get.

Not necessarily. My computer guy came from Sosua to Cabarete to sort out a small problem with my computer which he said would take him about five minutes. Of course it was more complicated than expected and it was nearly two hours before it was sorted. All the time I was thinking - the meter's running, this is going to cost me dear! When he was finished I asked him how much I owed him and he said "nothing" because of the inconvenience to me. I virtually had to force him to accept RD$100 for a beer!

suarezn · Nov 12, 2011

We Dominicans are a dichotomy. The best most helpful people and friendly you may find anywhere in the world and at the same time to a tourist it may look like we're always out to rip them off. One of the reason for this is that almost every Dominican grows up with the concept of "Tigueraje" all around them, which basically means if someone let's you take advantage of them then it's their fault for being naive and enough of a "Tiguere".

kimbjorkland · Nov 12, 2011

I love to hear all these stories of truthful honest Dominicans. It makes me have a little bit of hope. Although it makes me wonder what life was like 50 years ago when this country was more campo and less corrupted city.

Truth is, if a company or a child is a fraud or thief, the first place you should look is at the leaders of the company/family. It's not different than a country. The Sh8T apple doesn't fall far from the Sh*t tree.

So I'm sure decades of those on the top being ruthless corrupt A*Sholes who rob, cheat, steal, and get ahead at any cost, has a trickle down effect on those at the bottom, who eventually 'learn' that being crooked is the only real way to get ahead in one generation.

SantiagueroRD · Nov 13, 2011

Good Morning, About three years ago I took 14,000 pesos out of the bank to pay for a bed. On the way home (Villa Olimpico Santiago) I stopped at a pharmacy. While there two little boys (about 10-11) came in and asked me if the car outside was mine. I guffly said yes because I thought that they were looking to wash it. They responded in Spanish "Hay mucho dinero a lado" yes all of my money had fallen from my pocket. They were mystified when I insisted on giving them a reward. I have had many instances of honest interactions. I think that the tourist areas have many Dominicans from elsewhere who do not have roots or a familial identiy there along with interacting with foreigners as in familiarity breeds contempt syndrome begets a money first attitude.

Big_Poppi2 · Nov 17, 2011

If I were to list all of the good deads that I have either experienced or been told of about Dominicanos, I would need a few pages to a book. I may even have needed a couple of books, ha, ha, ha. It is sad to say but, crime exist in every country, no matter how rich the nation is or how poor the nation is, there is some crime. It is easy to sterotype the people in a country where there is obvious poverty, but poverty and conditions that it produces or a crime conductor all and to themselves. With that said, I am Dominicano. I have never robbed anyone, never stolen anything, never been involved in any kind of criminal activity. Did I have some friends to do so, yes, family members to do so, of course, even have some so called friends, rob me? absolutely! But I also was in the United States Marine Corp. I had stuff stolen by other Marines, My sister was robbed at gun point In Atlanta Ga by a group of Americans, not Dominicans. Yet I or my family don't sterotype all Americans as criminals. There is good and bad in every nation and every nationality. This reminds me of a t shirt I just recently saw on ebay. It says, " In Dominican Republic we love each other". Maybe being biased I agree, you won't find another nation anywhere more loving, friendly, or inviting than Dominican Republic. Also thanks for posting the good stories here everyone, the stories we don't get to hear enough of about all the good that Dominican People do.
Biggs

belgiank · Nov 17, 2011

By mistake dropped 2,000 rds out of my pocket while paying at rodriguez supermarket in sabaneta, and did not notice it. The Dominicano behind me picked it up, and gave it back.

Loaned 16,000 rds to our cleaning lady to buy new batteries for the inversor. Got paid back in less than 5 months.

Several times loaned small amounts to our gardener, and always got paid back.

Up till now got screwed royally twice, but they were expats... lol

Ducadista · Sep 5, 2015

Back with another rare (to some), but good DR story;

Last christmas while on vacation, I was about to leave a bar next to a hotel in La Vega when getting into my car, a vehicle trailed by police officer on his motorcycle entered the parking lot. The PO approached the car and another PO got out the car with a very drunk man. As both PO was helping the man walk towards the hotel, people started to ask what happened to him.

The PO explained that they just found the man a couple of blocks from here, passed out drunk, with the engine running, lights on and half parked on the sidewalk. Somehow they figured out he was staying at this hotel and was helping him back to his room.

I was in shock that the PO's were helping this man so much, locals felt the same, as they were praising the PO's for their good deed.

My experiences in DR haven't been all positive, but I have to give credit were credit is due.

My 2 cents.

SKY · Sep 5, 2015

In most countries the Police would also be escorting the man, but to jail instead of his hotel.

Cdn_Gringo · Sep 5, 2015

Once in a while someone does something completely unexpected and it restores a modicum of faith and hope for the future. Then they go and steal the downed helicopter pilot's shoes and ruin it.

DRob · Sep 5, 2015

Cool, we've got a Dominican Diogenes here. And persistent, given the thread is four years old.

Good luck (although it didn't work out so well for the Greek dude, either).

Any honest Dominicans left?

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