Since this post is still open, I'll add my 2 cents worth. I heard the same "bitching" from friends who I recommended to go there. Amazing ! ( have you learned every other language so that you could be FRIENDLY to ANY tourist that visits YOUR city ??) I knew a little Spanish but when I returned from PC, (twice now) I ordered some advanced language learning tapes, and took a night course at a local college as well. I never ONCE blamed those people, (and absolutely was never treated "2nd class) for a communication barrier. I BLAMED MYSELF for not understanding THEM !! Also......go to other parts of the DR, (myself, 4 times to Sosua, Puerto Plata) and you will find that many speak English as well as you......HOW AWESOME AND UNBELIEVABLE !! You were brought up with THE BEST EDUCATION in the world, yet a "beach vendor" in the DR, knows more languages that you ! One of my favorite reasons to return to the DR, is to learn the language from the wonderful friends that I have met there. If you've visited Punta Cana, and worried about the language, rather than the ABSOLUTE PARADISE that you were ALLOWED INTO, well then all I can say is: IT SUCKS TO BE YOU !!
- Thread starter Brenda
- Start date
English Speaking in DR???
Interesting to read the responses to Brenda's posting. She indicated that overall the trip was enjoyable, but that she had concerns because she felt second class because she spoke only English.
The responses seem to fall into two classes: postive and, in my opinion, unnecessarily critical of Brenda.
Great for a boardl to get a reputation of attacking those who express what to them is a real concern about some aspect of life in or travel to the Dominican Republic.
The responses seem to fall into two classes: postive and, in my opinion, unnecessarily critical of Brenda.
Great for a boardl to get a reputation of attacking those who express what to them is a real concern about some aspect of life in or travel to the Dominican Republic.
Ken and RickW
Bravo Ken you nailed it.
And Rick you surely fall in the second group . Unneccesary critique.
Brenda wrote from her personal experience . Do you really think she needed to read the bull you just wrote.?
She needed some R&R decided to go to the DR.
There is absolutly no need for her to learn any language.
If the DR wants to be part of the tourist business it has to learn to cater to the tourist , Not that the tourist caters to the DR.
Had she had a little more money she might have decided to go to Thailand,Seychelles, Kenya, Bali
French riviera,
With your theory she needed to speak now 5 more languages.
All those places cater to the
tourist The DR can learn something from them.
Your two cents were worth zero.
Bravo Ken you nailed it.
And Rick you surely fall in the second group . Unneccesary critique.
Brenda wrote from her personal experience . Do you really think she needed to read the bull you just wrote.?
She needed some R&R decided to go to the DR.
There is absolutly no need for her to learn any language.
If the DR wants to be part of the tourist business it has to learn to cater to the tourist , Not that the tourist caters to the DR.
Had she had a little more money she might have decided to go to Thailand,Seychelles, Kenya, Bali
French riviera,
With your theory she needed to speak now 5 more languages.
All those places cater to the
tourist The DR can learn something from them.
Your two cents were worth zero.
It is certainly beyond my comprehension why anyone who travels to a foreign country would be upset when the staff, at any tourist facility don't speak English. Part of the joy and education one receives by visiting foreign lands should be in learning how to communicate with others. North Americans might learn from the Dutch. A small country, yet it is not unusual for the Dutch to speak five or six languages.
I've got to chime in here and plead for some restraint to these flaming reactionary posts. Brenda was stating an opinion that she was treated as second class.
If Brenda was, she has a gripe. It probably happens at times as CES supported with his comments. We don't know how much of an effort she made, we can only take her word for it, and in doing so give her the benefit of the doubt.
Being immersed in the language and culture is one of the things I enjoy most while I'm there. I speak a fair amount of Spanish as 3 years of high school Spanish afforded me. ( I also tutor Latin American students here in the US and thus extend my vocabulary for subsequent trips ).
There are probably plenty of disrespectful tourists as well but to automatically jump on the high horse as was done to Brenda I disagree with. I enjoy being part of a board that can show some restraint and not make some hapless tourist a punching bag.
BTW Brenda, the use of caps shows an emphatic statement that can be taken to mean anything from disillusionment to disgust. But I'll give the benefit of the doubt. And if given the choice of the flight to the DR or Fiji, my money rides with the short trip.
Thanks for the opportunity to be heard.
If Brenda was, she has a gripe. It probably happens at times as CES supported with his comments. We don't know how much of an effort she made, we can only take her word for it, and in doing so give her the benefit of the doubt.
Being immersed in the language and culture is one of the things I enjoy most while I'm there. I speak a fair amount of Spanish as 3 years of high school Spanish afforded me. ( I also tutor Latin American students here in the US and thus extend my vocabulary for subsequent trips ).
There are probably plenty of disrespectful tourists as well but to automatically jump on the high horse as was done to Brenda I disagree with. I enjoy being part of a board that can show some restraint and not make some hapless tourist a punching bag.
BTW Brenda, the use of caps shows an emphatic statement that can be taken to mean anything from disillusionment to disgust. But I'll give the benefit of the doubt. And if given the choice of the flight to the DR or Fiji, my money rides with the short trip.
Thanks for the opportunity to be heard.
A good while ago, I requested that Brenda clear up just one point: Was it the staff--Reception, Consierge, Maitre', Activities--that made her feel uncomfortable, or was it the fact that she was in a totally Spanish speaking environment??
I think that this is very important. I even e-mailed her, and asked her to read the posts and to respond on this board.
If most of the tourists visiting that particular hotel were, at that moment, from Spain, or were Dominicans on holiday, or from another European country, or Puerto Rico, I can certainly understand what happened to Brenda. She got a very quick dose of Culture Shock--The realization that she was isolated and very unfamiliar with her surroundings. Even having to listen to a foreign language 24/7 can be physically tiring and psycologically intimidating to the uninitiated.
If , on the other hand, her feelings came from the above mentioned staff, precisely those charged with reducing the feelings of alienation and strangeness while making the cultural differences more attractive to the visitor, THEN the lady has a valid point. And like many have posted, the management must be made aware of the problem, forthwith.
HB
I think that this is very important. I even e-mailed her, and asked her to read the posts and to respond on this board.
If most of the tourists visiting that particular hotel were, at that moment, from Spain, or were Dominicans on holiday, or from another European country, or Puerto Rico, I can certainly understand what happened to Brenda. She got a very quick dose of Culture Shock--The realization that she was isolated and very unfamiliar with her surroundings. Even having to listen to a foreign language 24/7 can be physically tiring and psycologically intimidating to the uninitiated.
If , on the other hand, her feelings came from the above mentioned staff, precisely those charged with reducing the feelings of alienation and strangeness while making the cultural differences more attractive to the visitor, THEN the lady has a valid point. And like many have posted, the management must be made aware of the problem, forthwith.
HB
interested in knowing Richard and others.
I am interested in knowing from all the guys and ladies that climbed on their high horses re language.
Are any of you involved in the service industry??
It's beyond me that you all support an attitude that peeves of your clients.
I rather fill up my entire resorts with Brendas and service them in any language they desire then being one of the many DR resorts at 20 % capacity.Smuck in my satisfied feeling that I showed that stupid tourist where he belongs.
I am interested in knowing from all the guys and ladies that climbed on their high horses re language.
Are any of you involved in the service industry??
It's beyond me that you all support an attitude that peeves of your clients.
I rather fill up my entire resorts with Brendas and service them in any language they desire then being one of the many DR resorts at 20 % capacity.Smuck in my satisfied feeling that I showed that stupid tourist where he belongs.
Yes, for several years I was involved in the hospitality industry (hotel and bar) in the Dominican Republic where it was my pleasure to deal with tourists from all over the world. It certainly is not a matter of climbing on any high horse, it is a matter of common sense. Foreign country, guess what? Foreign language!
richard said:
So when a tourist appeared at your establishment , you insisted on speaking spanish???
We are in the DR So speak
spanish??
Wow would I have loved to compete with you next door.
So I am not surprised to hear you WERE involved in the service industry.
Re common sense
Common sense is serving your clients in any language they desire.
or what common sense are you talking about.??
This is the point.
In Toronto (English speaking )after all the trouble in Hong Kong had whole neighborhoods filled with Chineese.
So what do the local banks do ??they hire a slew of chinese speaking tellers and customer service people.
And now they have a lot of clients they would not otherwise have had.
No saying common sense says we speak English only in Toronto.
And your remark
Foreign country , guess what ? etc.
This is exactly climbing on a your high horse.
I speak 6 languages my self , so I have no problems with any of this .but if I would notice an "attitude "
by the staff. I would absolutely insist on being served in the language of my choice.
Staff showing attitude should be fired.
If the local owners of establishments only knew how many clients they lost by the attitude of their staff.
Its the diference of well run and badly run places.
After a little while the bad ones are gone. As they should.
Common sense in the hospitality business or any other business for that matter is catering to your customers. Never have I indicated that the tourist be damned attitude should be aceptable because he doesn't speak the language. Never have I indicated that bad manners should be condoned. One might keep in mind this is a country with a high rate of illiteracy. In North America or Europe one can safely assume that when someone applies for a job they can read, write and do basic math. Such is not the case in the DR. When one visits a foreign country, particularly a developing nation and assumes that hospitality workers ( a low income sector in most countries) speak English and is upset when they don't is naive.
exactly Richard we are not so far apart..
Now the succesfull establishment hires the right people..
Even though the DR might be a thirdworld country . There is an abundance of right people.
So the Brendas of this world can be treated as they wish and need be.
Now the succesfull establishment hires the right people..
Even though the DR might be a thirdworld country . There is an abundance of right people.
So the Brendas of this world can be treated as they wish and need be.
Yes Paul. We are not far apart. When one considers only 40 yrs ago (give or take a year or two) the country was ruled by a vicious tyrant and for years after that it was still controlled by his cronies the DR has come a long way. It has only been about than twenty years since the Playa Dorada complex was started so as time passes the best is most likely yet to come.
This is in reply to Paul's question about working in the service industry. I personally speak three languages and yes I have always worked in the service industry. However I do believe that Brenda could have made an attempt to speak the language. Hell, that's half the fun after all.
To answer your forth coming question, yes if I am able to speak someone elses native language then I do to make it easier on them, however I have always noticed the reverse too. For instance when I was a Flight Attendant on flights into the DR the passengers would try and speak English first in "fear" that if the spoke only Spanish we (the crew) would treat them differently than the "tourists" on the aircraft.
I am not saying speak the language fluently, just that she should make an effort. One would be amazed at how far a few polite words can go. And yes her tone did indicate (at least to me ) that she had that "uppity" attitude about her...meaning she expected to be waited on hand and foot as if the staff were her servants.. WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. Yes they are there to make your stay more enjoyable but they are your slaves.
To answer your forth coming question, yes if I am able to speak someone elses native language then I do to make it easier on them, however I have always noticed the reverse too. For instance when I was a Flight Attendant on flights into the DR the passengers would try and speak English first in "fear" that if the spoke only Spanish we (the crew) would treat them differently than the "tourists" on the aircraft.
I am not saying speak the language fluently, just that she should make an effort. One would be amazed at how far a few polite words can go. And yes her tone did indicate (at least to me ) that she had that "uppity" attitude about her...meaning she expected to be waited on hand and foot as if the staff were her servants.. WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. Yes they are there to make your stay more enjoyable but they are your slaves.
a1999heel said:
This sounds different than the original post. She didn't want a slave (the way I read it) but their group felt "tolerated" because they were english speaking. Big difference.
If I pay you $10,000 for a two week vacation and one of your staff is "tolerating" me because I don't speak the right language, you're going to hear about it...and so will all my friends back home planning a vacation...
Guests don't need to speak spanish, and they don't have to make the least effort to speak spanish. They are not here to work, or "make an effort" to do ANYTHING. They get 2-4 weeks vacation a year, and are here to be pampered and get away from the PC world and rat race that they live in each day, regardless of what language they speak. They must be respectful, absolutely, but to <b>expect</b> them to make any effort to "fit in" is way off. Calling it "half the fun" is a huge assumption, and you know what happens with those...For you and I, yes, but don't train your staff to make sure they try to use your language to enhance their "fun"
I walk into Radio Shack and get catered to and I may not even buy anything!
I find this whole thread bizarre because from motoconcho drivers to restaurant servers and people in the campo, I have yet to meet anyone that would not take you into your home and feed you if you needed it....regardless of what language you speak. Not sure where this hotel is getting their Dominicans from...
marc
American owned hotel
The Sunscape in Punta Cana is now owned by Americans and caters to them. Not that there aren't other nationalities there but maybe you'd feel more comfortable if you only speak English. When I went to Puerto Plata I didn't have much of a problem. My 11 year old had a hard time at first with the kids because they were mostly German. But he still enjoyed himself. Most of the reception staff spoke English. The rest of the food and beverage and housekeeping workers spoke only Spanish but were wonderful and with my limited high school Spanish I was able to get by.
The Sunscape in Punta Cana is now owned by Americans and caters to them. Not that there aren't other nationalities there but maybe you'd feel more comfortable if you only speak English. When I went to Puerto Plata I didn't have much of a problem. My 11 year old had a hard time at first with the kids because they were mostly German. But he still enjoyed himself. Most of the reception staff spoke English. The rest of the food and beverage and housekeeping workers spoke only Spanish but were wonderful and with my limited high school Spanish I was able to get by.