Today is Martin Luther King day I understand. However very little is written about racialism in the R.D particularly against the blancos. This idea that if you are blanco or a grinco you can be charged much higher prices than chocolate and black coloured people. The worst I have found, so far, are taxi drivers in Santo Domingo. Recently one tried to charge me RD$350 for a RD$150 journey, naturally I refused to pay and got out. Another tied to charge me RD$250 for the same journey, I argued asking how and why he thought I retired with a pension could afford higher prices. He eventually agreed on RD$200 and I had to show him the way. Mind you even one in Santiago asked me RD$1,000 to go to Las Terrenas the other day, I told him I wanted a price to Las Terrenas not to buy his decrepit old taxi. Now if its a shop or whatever that doesn?t know me I get my Dominican wife to go in first and ask the price, if when I go in and if I am asked a different price we have a fine old argument which I win , otherwise he doesn?t sell anything.
- Thread starter granca
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Racialism in the R.D
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I am disgusted by the way people try to rob me once they know I am from abroad. My aunt is always outing me and I hate it. If I need a service or am anywhere I tell ppl I just moved to la capital from Montecristi and that I am looking for work. They usually give me a good price since I am Dominican. Yet once my aunt say's "oh pero el viene de alla el puede". I see the dollar signs in the people's eye's and the cha ching begin. What I hate more is that after she outs me as a "gringo", then she say's "no te deje enganar"...
Unfortunately it is not about being white - it is about the fact that you look like a foreigner. This happens to ANYBODY that looks like he or she just got there. I always get charged more for everything in DR - and I always have to fight it. It is what it is... I guess we can also discuss the Dominican mentality - maybe this will help you both understand the reasoning behind it.
BTW Lando - I think telling your aunt to stop that will nip that in the bud? But if you stay quiet about it every time she says it, either you like it or you actually enjoy the 'gringo' attention it gets you...
BTW Lando - I think telling your aunt to stop that will nip that in the bud? But if you stay quiet about it every time she says it, either you like it or you actually enjoy the 'gringo' attention it gets you...
It might well be about being a foreigner, but unfortunately, being a gringo is always a dead give-away.
It is difficult to filter out the foreigner/gringo deal, but suffice it to say that those of us who are not Dominicano are picked to be the fall guys without fail. It is a discomforting position to be in, to say the least.
It is difficult to filter out the foreigner/gringo deal, but suffice it to say that those of us who are not Dominicano are picked to be the fall guys without fail. It is a discomforting position to be in, to say the least.
Are you kidding me???? that was the best deal you ever had in your life!!!! When I was on business in DR two years ago my rate from STI to La Terrenas was US $170.00 of course for tourist people in a nice minivan but if you call one of the local radio dispacher in Santiago I'm sure the rate is over RD $ 3000. pesos now a day.
JJ
Im used to pay gringo price now, ofcource not without a verbal fight- but that is the way we live down here.
Gringos siempre pagar extra. :cheeky:
Gringos siempre pagar extra. :cheeky:
As soon as they see me the price goes up but as soon as I open my mouth and they notice that I speak fluently Spanish and even know the slang they charge me Dominican prices. Know of people who have been living here for more than a decade and still don't speak Spanish!!!
So for all you "Gringos" out there learn the language otherwise it's your own fault if they try to screw you!!
So for all you "Gringos" out there learn the language otherwise it's your own fault if they try to screw you!!
a gringo in DR can feel like a pickled onion in a banana split, i understand that. when i am charged extra i always haggle. my favourite sentence is "pero tigre, dame precio dominicano" 
and i usually get what i ask for. it also helps that i speak spanish, or at least i try to and i know how much dominicans pay for the same thing.
but i love the most when i go somewhere with miesposo who is very white - dominicans always great him with "hello my friend" to which he responds in fast barrio spanish. the look on their faces is priceless
and i usually get what i ask for. it also helps that i speak spanish, or at least i try to and i know how much dominicans pay for the same thing. but i love the most when i go somewhere with miesposo who is very white - dominicans always great him with "hello my friend" to which he responds in fast barrio spanish. the look on their faces is priceless
I could have written that, except that you spelled "khello may freng" wrong.:cheeky:but i love the most when i go somewhere with miesposo who is very white - dominicans always great him with "hello my friend" to which he responds in fast barrio spanish. the look on their faces is priceless
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