What to expect

Amare

New member
Feb 8, 2011
30
4
0
My relocation from the U.S. to the DR is 2 days away. I spent hours scrolling through the forums to get insight. Also I been there plenty of times since 2008 and spent the summer of 2008 in there. As for me I'm very quiet. Most of the time people never notice me. Wherever I go I tend to mind my business and keep a small circle of friends.
I seen dozens of posts on classism and racism. Call me naive, but I never seen it. The only thing I noticed was the Dominican vs Haitian beef. Its tough because I have a good friend that's Haitian and I always get caught in the middle when tempers flare. Just about every Dominican knew I was American and not Haitian. They all treated me well. From what I perceived as racial utopia is one of the many reasons I decided to move to Santiago. I'm not worried about classism that much. I don't want to hang around people that think they're better then others. Are there any parts you recommend me to stay away from because of perceived racism or classism? Again I never seen any racist stuff there.
As a newcomer can I expect the locals to assist me a lot or will I be on my own? I do plan on meeting a couple of Gringos from this board also. Is it true that real estate have a gringo price and a Dominican price? Overall I think dominicans are good people, but you have blood suckers in any country.
Also my Haitian friend said the only reason I was treated so good was because I had a Dominican girl friend and they all thought I was rich. I constantly argue with him on that one. Because Dominicans are friendly to my in the U.S. too. For some reason they are the only women that approach me.
How will my 1st week be? I plan on getting out into the communities.
 

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
5,341
1,246
113
Aqui como que hay un trasfondo racial...

Esto sera un picho o un gancho?

JJ
 
Jan 17, 2009
1,622
59
48
Almost everything has a Gringo price and a Dominican price. There's also an expat price if, like me, you happen to be Hispanic.
 

Jerry Albers

New member
Dec 12, 2010
59
4
0
Well, your life about to change..
make sure you bring a good toyota or honda with you because everyone here tries to sell a milage rolled back p..o.s for twice what you can get it for in the U.S..
If your in Santiago - there are some good people that can help you.
When your car has a problem - call Zee at Autofull on the Autopista just 500 meters south of the HOMS hospital... When your car dies - you'll thank god he there for sure.
He can help you with car issue for sure and hes a very honest.. Ask anyone on here - we all go to Zee..
 

wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
2,063
96
48
Mr Amare,
You don't state what ethnic background you are but the false steps when moving to a new country are to carry your previous ideas with you, but we are all guilty of this of course.
Whether you are white, black , yellow or blue skinned will not necessarily have an effect on how you are accepted here,but how you view your new country and inter react with its inhabitants certainly will.

If, as you say, you are in-effacing and non confrontational, then you will have no problem fitting in I think but the phrasing of your post is a little troubling for someone who has decided to move to another country.

What answer would you like?
 

Amare

New member
Feb 8, 2011
30
4
0
Mr Amare,
You don't state what ethnic background you are but the false steps when moving to a new country are to carry your previous ideas with you, but we are all guilty of this of course.
Whether you are white, black , yellow or blue skinned will not necessarily have an effect on how you are accepted here,but how you view your new country and inter react with its inhabitants certainly will.

If, as you say, you are in-effacing and non confrontational, then you will have no problem fitting in I think but the phrasing of your post is a little troubling for someone who has decided to move to another country.

What answer would you like?


I'm not trying to be troublesome. Sorry if my post was phrased in a way that's troublesome to some. I was just curious because I read dozens of posts on this site about many topics. I don't have any pre conceived ideas. I'm going by what I read on this site and from what I heard in the streets. Again I will remind you that personally I seen none of it directed towards me. Also when someone from Haiti claim racism I think they're confusing racism with nationalism. Look at Eastern Europe. They're the same color, but they often hate the person from the neighboring country.
As for my ethnic background I would be labeled black in the U.S. because of the 1 drop rule. In reality my family tree is a melting pot. I don't like labeling people. We're all the same, just different skin tones.
 

Amare

New member
Feb 8, 2011
30
4
0
Well, your life about to change..
make sure you bring a good toyota or honda with you because everyone here tries to sell a milage rolled back p..o.s for twice what you can get it for in the U.S..
If your in Santiago - there are some good people that can help you.
When your car has a problem - call Zee at Autofull on the Autopista just 500 meters south of the HOMS hospital... When your car dies - you'll thank god he there for sure.
He can help you with car issue for sure and hes a very honest.. Ask anyone on here - we all go to Zee..


Also I noticed a lot of folks use natural gas there via tanks they installed in the trunk. There's a cheap honda accord model in the states that run on natural gas. Should I bring that car or a regular gasoline car?
 

Amare

New member
Feb 8, 2011
30
4
0
Aqui como que hay un trasfondo racial...

Esto sera un picho o un gancho?

JJ


Just trying to see what others are talking about. Again I never had any problems personally. It might just be them. I'm more familiar with the North Coast then other parts.
 

Jerry Albers

New member
Dec 12, 2010
59
4
0
Propane is easy to obtain and maybe a a better option - I dont know - just bring a reliable Honda or Toyota.... It cant be over 5 years old and you have to of own it for 2 years.. or youll pay more taxes.. other people know more about this than i do.
 

Amare

New member
Feb 8, 2011
30
4
0
update

MY 1st few nights were ok. The biggest issue I have now is finding sensible prices for furniture. Any suggestions? I had a couple of friends show me around, but I'm starting to sense some ulterior motives. For example. I told 1 guy I want to make some new friends. Both male and female. As usual the females happened to be their cousins. And they tell their cousins that I want a relationship. Then I have a girl I can't get rid of. Looks like if I'm going to meet people I'll have to be a lone wolf. I just don't understand why a lot of people try to pimp out their relatives to gringos. How do they know he's not crazy??
As for the furniture places I went to. I seemed to noticed that the owners or workers just happened to be relatives also or good friends. We would pass 10 furniture stores before we stop at 1. I was like why don't we stop at all the ones we see to compare prices?? But they swear the store they take me to is the best one. I know for a fact a queen size bed could be had for cheaper then 900usd. And I know most Dominicans are not paying crazy prices for kitchen appliances or no one would have a fridge and stove here.
Any suggestions on furniture stores?
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Clasificado in the Listin Diario or the Diario Libre. Muebles. Anything new will cost an arm and a leg. See if you can find out at the US embassy if someone is moving or at the USAID offices. People move and see off stuff all the time.

YOu are a target dude, get used to the idea.

HB
 

RacerX

Banned
Nov 22, 2009
3,390
376
0
MY 1st few nights were ok. The biggest issue I have now is finding sensible prices for furniture. Any suggestions? I had a couple of friends show me around, but I'm starting to sense some ulterior motives. For example. I told 1 guy I want to make some new friends. Both male and female. As usual the females happened to be their cousins. And they tell their cousins that I want a relationship. Then I have a girl I can't get rid of. Looks like if I'm going to meet people I'll have to be a lone wolf. I just don't understand why a lot of people try to pimp out their relatives to gringos. How do they know he's not crazy??
As for the furniture places I went to. I seemed to noticed that the owners or workers just happened to be relatives also or good friends. We would pass 10 furniture stores before we stop at 1. I was like why don't we stop at all the ones we see to compare prices?? But they swear the store they take me to is the best one. I know for a fact a queen size bed could be had for cheaper then 900usd. And I know most Dominicans are not paying crazy prices for kitchen appliances or no one would have a fridge and stove here.
Any suggestions on furniture stores?

In the RED leave them alone. Them people are crazy. Every one is looking for the Genie in the bottle to bestow everything upon them. Last thing you want to do is find yourself arguing with someone you dont like about how come you re not "serious"(whatever that means, what it means to you and to them is not the same thing, I guarantee you). Nor do you want them to accompany you on your shopping trips to see how much money you are spending. All this does is invite dumbassedness from them. You can make friends all by yourself same way you did in the US. And lay off the dude friends, if they dont have the money you have then they will always be envious. Women too, but you know...la-di-da...

In the BLUE, I dont think Plaza Lama, or La Sirena stuff is that bad. At least for me it isnt. I mean I have priced the stuff in La Sirena and El Encuentro and stuff like hair dryers and juicers, blenders, coffee machines cost what they would cost at Rite Aid or CVS in NY. Name brand arent the same most of the time and there is a premium for some stuff. Things dont last long they say, but I attribute that to 3 things: a. If you dont know to care for your stuff it just wont last; b. there are erratic power surges that enter the houses after the apagones due to bad bad electrical wiring everywhere; c. if you live on the coast I guess the saltwater in the air can corrode the circuits and stuff BUT I doubt it, people live in Boston, NY and Miami and there is saltwater in the air there also. I think a & b are what kills electronics. Everyone has had that static dust cling to the TV and you get a moist rag and wipe it down, but when I was married she would spray the Windex right on the glass and then it would run down into the box(clearly where the controls were) and before you know it it wouldnt work. Or she would put metal in the microwave and before you know it....
I say shop by yourself for furniture. I think your friends are getting a kickback on what ever you buy. And naturally Daddy Warbucks they are showing you the best stuff they have AT MSRP. Or maybe not, but anyway remember man, it is your money you can spend it wherever you want to. If you dont like the price and you saw 10 stores, well there is what you are going to do today. Whats the rush? You are the one sleeping in the bed.
 

Twix

Banned
Feb 23, 2011
189
4
0
People are racist here, probably not with you because you are not very dark and you are not Haitian, they specifically do not like haitians. Not all dominicans are racist, but I think most are, and they all lie to themselves that they are not black. I don't get why because it's nothing to be ashamed of, they should be proud of who they are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RacerX

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,502
5,930
113
dr1.com
People are racist here, probably not with you because you are not very dark and you are not Haitian, they specifically do not like haitians. Not all dominicans are racist, but I think most are, and they all lie to themselves that they are not black. I don't get why because it's nothing to be ashamed of, they should be proud of who they are.

Absolute Bullcrap. Dominicans are proud of who they are. They are Dominicans, under their terms, not yours. Most but not all Dominicans have some Black Heritage and I've yet to meet one that is either ashamed of it or afraid to admit it. They don't care for Haitians but not because of their colour.
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z415/Dominicanbob/?action=view&current=january82008225.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z415/Dominicanbob/january82008225.jpg" border="0" alt="Haitian woman in Jarabacoa"></a>
This is a Haitian woman in Jarabacoa. She has lived their from at least 1999 and she is most likely illegal. She is quiet, clean, and friendly. The local Dominicans seem to have no problem with her and her illegal children.
 

Twix

Banned
Feb 23, 2011
189
4
0
I have friends that are totally racist, one lives in Santiago. Here is what he posted on facebook a few weeks ago: "los espa?oles trajeron aqui, negros africanos, de los mas brutos y feos de toda el africa, por eso hoy en dia los Haitianos, sn compredidos como la raza mas estupida y bruta de la Humanidad"
I had spoken with him before, and he said that he has no black in him at all, his whole family is racist so there is no way they had ever been with a black person and he says he is italian and indio from the last indians. There are a lot of dominicans that are not racist, I know, but so many of them are racist, some more than others. In a town I lived in there was a boy and his mother is Haitian, so they call him Haitian even though he was born here and I believe his father is dominican (and he's black, I've never seen his mother) and they call him feo, thats what everyone calls him, it's like his name, but he is not ugly and doesn't even look like the Haitians. I've never met a dominican that will admit where their color comes from, they call themselves any color but black, and say it's from the indians. remember though, I said that not all dominicans are racist...... but I do think most are, some not so much, others are very racist, some are not racist. One old lady has a haitian boy work at the house sometimes, he is friends with the family and practically family (sorta) and he mentioned that a dominican girl liked him and after he left she said "but he's black!" I was like so what? and she kept repeating it...
 

drew2u

New member
Feb 27, 2011
1
0
0
I don't know where you are from. But there is more racism in Brooklyn, Harlem and In the United States than anywhere on Earth. I visited Quebec, CAN some time ago, and was shocked. Racism is a global problem. Mankind will have to overcome it eventually, over the next 1000 years, I guess.
 

Twix

Banned
Feb 23, 2011
189
4
0
We're not talking about other countries now are we? Of course there is racism everywhere and in the states, who said there wasn't. The Dominicans are somewhat racist with African-Americans. Who would a Dominican rather be with, an African-American or a white American? They will always go after the white people before even trying the African-American. There is racism here, don't tell me that there's not. Just because Dominicans are friends with Haitians or don't bother them doesn't mean they're not racist. My friend has Haitian friends, and then he talks bad about them. Maybe you should <a href="http://www.nathanielturner.com/kiiniiburasalaam2.htm">read this</a>
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,502
5,930
113
dr1.com
We're not talking about other countries now are we? Of course there is racism everywhere and in the states, who said there wasn't. The Dominicans are somewhat racist with African-Americans. Who would a Dominican rather be with, an African-American or a white American? They will always go after the white people before even trying the African-American. There is racism here, don't tell me that there's not. Just because Dominicans are friends with Haitians or don't bother them doesn't mean they're not racist. My friend has Haitian friends, and then he talks bad about them. Maybe you should <a href="http://www.nathanielturner.com/kiiniiburasalaam2.htm">read this</a>

This has all been discussed a million times and the woman whose article you linked to has also been seen a million times. She has a Afro-centric view on everything, so she see what she wants and expects to see. Dominican children associate freely with each other regardless of colour, and also marry each other regardless of colour. There is more of a classicist society in the DR that a racist society.
 

Twix

Banned
Feb 23, 2011
189
4
0
This has all been discussed a million times and the woman whose article you linked to has also been seen a million times. She has a Afro-centric view on everything, so she see what she wants and expects to see. Dominican children associate freely with each other regardless of colour, and also marry each other regardless of colour. There is more of a classicist society in the DR that a racist society.

It doesn't change the fact that there is racism, I've seen it for myself so I know. For example, my teacher went the the US and he came back and mentioned that there are ugly Haitians and blah blah blah, and he himself is black. I'm not black so I don't have that kind of view, I'm white and I notice that they are racist. I already said that NOT ALL DOMINICANS ARE RACIST, but you cannot say that there isn't racism here