No one in DR should go hungry!

[AlterEgo]

In my mind, I'm trying to compare DR to the US.... I started babysitting when I was 12 or 13, and got a job after school and weekends when I was 16, in a real estate office. I had enough money to buy a car when I was 17. My brother had a newspaper route from when he was about 12-13. I never had a period of time in my life when I didn't work, until the day I sold my business and retired early.

Contrast that with DR, where those options really don't exist for young people. About the only thing I can think of is the shoe shine boys. When Mr. AE wanted to go to the movies in SD in the late 50's, he'd take his shoeshine kit out on Saturday morning to earn some money for the movie and a treat.

The Dominican kids still want the same things that American kids want, but there is no way to work to get them...... except begging, sex or stealing.

Am I missing something?

 

[davetuna]

sadly, no

 

[Criss Colon]

Yes you are, "Get An Education", not a sure thing but it can't hurt!
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[donP]

Options for Youngsters

The Dominican kids still want the same things that American kids want, but there is no way to work to get them...... except begging, sex or stealing.
Am I missing something?

Well, I can think of two more options:

1. They can always become 'functionarios' (But yes, it is tantamount to stealing...).
No formal education needed, in fact it would even hinder the career.
Greed and corruption ought to be considered good virtues.

2. There are well paying and plenty vacancies in the drug trade.
Barrio skills are essential, a murderous past is helpful.

donP

 

[greydread]

Yes you are, "Get An Education", not a sure thing but it can't hurt!
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Hungry bellies override hungry minds every time.

 

[Commander Ooh La La USN]

not really.....i started work at 14 working every day of the year other than xmas day.paper route 6am left school and was kicked out of my home. so parental support not really.

everything in my life has come from work/job. this country needs jobs.

They wont do the work Brother. They will complain all damn day about how you are taking advantage of them and then do a half-ass job in any event but still expect full pay. Then get the money, waste it and expect you to GIVE them more because it sounded like a good idea in the peanut gallery when he was thinking it up.

I dont see anyone lacking food, although it may be the case. I see all consumables being wasted. I see people make TOO MUCH food then throw it away because they dont know the "secrets to refrigeration". Also, if you didnt overheat the pot when you are making the rice you wouldnt burn it(for the con-con, which I find to be nasty) or use too much propane. Or if you didnt overcook the spaghetti you could use it later and it wouldnt be soupy. And if you didnt fry your eggs slathered in oil you wouldnt have to waste so much of it.

 

[dv8]

They wont do the work Brother. They will complain all damn day about how you are taking advantage of them and then do a half-ass job in any event but still expect full pay. Then get the money, waste it and expect you to GIVE them more because it sounded like a good idea in the peanut gallery when he was thinking it up.

fine example: my SIL's maid. she gets paid 3500 pesos every two weeks. 1500 goes to a motoconcho because walking or using carro publico is out of the question. so one day she receives her salary, discounts 1500 for a moto and 1000 she owed in a colmado, then starts to cry and says to my MIL "i worked two weeks for a thousand pesos!" no, you worked for 3500. what you did with this is your business.

 

[mike l]

That part I believe. You or I would walk away but it does exist.

A bartender in Sosua used to brag that he could get a BJ for $100 RD so the girl could buy lunch ( about 4 years ago ) about $150 RD now

Talk about inflation !

 

[dv8]

we had this nasty old dude buy buying a packet of la pelas every now and then. when i questioned who does he bone at all i was informed that he gets really poor barrio girls for plato del dia. 100 to 150 pesos.

 

[keepcoming]

Unfortunately AE your correct. Times have changed. However there is also that mentality of I want and I deserve. When we were young we worked for what we wanted, or the extra's such as movies, etc...Some of that has changed to where kids now a days just expect these extra's. Parents are working to pay for that cell phone, car insurance, etc..Maybe these employment options are not that available here but that doesn't stop the want for nice things, and sometimes at whatever cost...

 

[bob saunders]

In my mind, I'm trying to compare DR to the US.... I started babysitting when I was 12 or 13, and got a job after school and weekends when I was 16, in a real estate office. I had enough money to buy a car when I was 17. My brother had a newspaper route from when he was about 12-13. I never had a period of time in my life when I didn't work, until the day I sold my business and retired early.

Contrast that with DR, where those options really don't exist for young people. About the only thing I can think of is the shoe shine boys. When Mr. AE wanted to go to the movies in SD in the late 50's, he'd take his shoeshine kit out on Saturday morning to earn some money for the movie and a treat.

The Dominican kids still want the same things that American kids want, but there is no way to work to get them...... except begging, sex or stealing.

Am I missing something?

No I think that's pretty accurate. My wife used to sell oranges door to door, and make empanadas from yucca. My nxt door neighbours have two teenage girls at home(16, 17)- Mom works her tail off- leaving for La Vega at 0700 am and getting home at 7 or 8 at night - 6 days a week. Girls have their own cell phones, tablets, Desktop computer. They are good students but do almost no housework and have their hand out for money from mom constantly. At least they are not pregnant, yet.

 

[bob saunders]

Me, I worked on the farm at home, cut firewood for our neighbours, sold fishing worms in the spring and summer, worked on the dock unloading freighters when I was 15 and 16, as well as fixing flats and pumping gas at a gas station. My brother and I also collected beer bottles from the side of the road and several party spots we knew of. Cut lawns, picked weeds, dug gardens, and we were always in demand.
Most of these options are not available to kids in the DR, but there are some industrious young people out there that are willing to work hard to get a few dollars.

 

[dv8]

in poland we do not have opportunities to become child labour. my first job was after i finished HS, i worked in a clothing store for holidays. then during university i worked as a private tutor and a "promotion girl" in supermarkets. in DR there is no such thing as part time, really: waitressing or gardening are full time jobs.

 

[the gorgon]

Its all about mentality. People from the north hemisphere has another mentality then folks from the south. Nobody can change it and thats because the world looks like its look. In my generation ( i am 72 years old) it was normal to start work with 14 or 15 if you weren't rich. Its make you able to collect more money for your retirement.

i am not sure about the mentality thing. i went to high school in the caribbean, and almost all of my friends and associates had holiday jobs, because if you wanted the nice clothes to wear to parties, you paid for them yourself. actually, the same can be said of the DR. people work, just like Northerners. take chicas, for example. i think being out on the street every night, listening to head splitting music, and dealing with every conceivable type of a-hole is really hard work.

 

[Chirimoya]

My son is about to turn 14, an age where he should be doing odd jobs/holiday jobs like we used to do back in the day. Here though the sort of unskilled tasks like newspaper delivery, car washing, babysitting, etc. are not open to middle class teenagers the way they are in our countries of origin.

 

[AlterEgo]

we had this nasty old dude buy buying a packet of la pelas every now and then. when i questioned who does he bone at all i was informed that he gets really poor barrio girls for plato del dia. 100 to 150 pesos.

That story is very sad and depressing.

 

[dv8]

That story is very sad and depressing.

it is. but it shows you not only the level of desperation but also how rakata for money/goods means nothing to some girls.

 

[the gorgon]

That story is very sad and depressing.

and it is a regular practice in the barrios.

 

[Criss Colon]

Too many "When I was young" stories here!
"When I was young I walked 5 miles to school every day"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UP HILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"BOTH WAYS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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[waytogo]

Too many "When I was young" stories here!
"When I was young I walked 5 miles to school every day"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UP HILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"BOTH WAYS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Both ways uphill..............
You must still be up there............lol

B in Santiago