Here is the part where I blab away.
I listened a lot and learned even more on this trip than ever before. I also got to meet more people than ever. Experience is the best teacher, and with so much great advice on how things get done in the DR on this site, it's no substitute for being there and living it.
I traveled all over the Cibao and a couple of places in Santo Domingo, educating myself on the current state of the real estate market-prices per meter for land, what the general costs are depending on location, surroundings, etc.
I spoke at length to a couple of architects and got a chance to see them at work doing various duties and was given tours of the work they've done and are currently working on. These appointments were critical and usually wound up lasting much longer than the allotted times due to the apparent openness of the professionals I met. They were very friendly and giving of their time. I also got to see some very beautiful houses from the inside.
I got to see a plumber at work, who came in to fix a leak in the bathroom and wound up making it worse. He talked five times as much as he worked, and after he got done the water now shot out of the hot/cold water valves. The valves themselves had to be turned on and removed from the wall and the water collected in a bucket for a shower to be possible. The owners of the home got quite an attitude out of the guy, who was busy fighting on the phone over how much he was going to charge to fix something he broke and how it wasn't his fault.
A guy who owed a lawyer 10,000 pesos for a real estate transaction shows up on a street corner with 2,000 pesos and a smile, thinking that because the transaction was between friends/family members he wasn't required to pay the agreed upon fee. He felt very comfortable paying whatever he felt like paying and walked off without a hint of shame.
A few observations-
1) When something goes wrong, blame is deflected first and foremost. In fact, the manner in which discussions took place were always the same-deflecting blame takes precedence over solving the issue at hand. If you needed something done and it wasn't carried through, it's not their fault they forgot-it's your fault for not reminding them a million times. As long as that fact is established, a Dominican will have a good nights' sleep. So stand your ground and never let anyone run you over. You won't get respect any other way.
2) People expect you to read minds. Travel arrangements will change without your knowledge and you are expected to know of the changes, simply because if you are caught off-guard or unprepared it will always be your fault for not assuming even though no one told you what changes were in place.
3) One of the moist aggressive drivers I've ever seen in my life was a mild-mannered and easy-going structural engineer from the capital, who drove a two-seat pick-up truck with a baby in the back wedged against the front passenger seat for protection. This to me seemed the height of lunacy with a two-month old child in the back, but that's how she rolled.
4) Everywhere we went someone was giving us something from the backyard, whether it be a huge sack full of platanos from a small farm in Villa Taina or spinach and other things from places like Bonao or Moca. We never left anywhere empty-handed. Even on quick visits it was always "ben, dejame darte un poquito d'eto antes que te vayas..."
5) The Dominicans I met weren't as neurotically hyper-judgmental as some posters have made it seem when it comes to befriending foreigners. I got the sense that Dominicans have a much better sense of humor over turista shenanigans than is portrayed. Not I initiated the subject, but it was brought up a few times due to the fact that a turista was amongst them out in the campo where one is hardly ever seen. So I had to answer for my fellow travelers, and the conversations were always a laugh a minute.
6) The way things get done is with connections. Architects, building maestros, trade specialists and common construction laborers all know each other. If the first guy in line is dishonest, you can forget the others going down the line.
7) Sharing is key. If someone gives you something, make it known through your deeds that you are "disponible" to aid and assist when and where you can. This keeps the pipelines open and will help cement the interpersonal relationships that are key to a successful life in the DR. And it doesn't have to be a huge gesture. I spent an afternoon helping a young man with some basketball drills while on a visit and the family was very appreciative.
8) The best bet for living in the DR would be to live close to native Dominicans you know are good people. Having trustworthy neighbors is indispensable, and will be of more use than living in some tourist enclave where your next door neighbor could possible be some shady ex-pat running from the law.
9) You will never see some of the most beautiful, intelligent and well-raised Dominican women on the island if all you do is go to tourist spots exclusively, and will never meet them unless you have friends to introduce you. It just ain't gonna happen. I also met a few from good families who were beautiful but frivolous, lazy and uninteresting (I'm sure the thought the same of me), so don't be fooled.
Some of this stuff have been written about before, but like I said since this is from personal experience, it had a much more profound impact than just reading it from a computer screen.
I listened a lot and learned even more on this trip than ever before. I also got to meet more people than ever. Experience is the best teacher, and with so much great advice on how things get done in the DR on this site, it's no substitute for being there and living it.
I traveled all over the Cibao and a couple of places in Santo Domingo, educating myself on the current state of the real estate market-prices per meter for land, what the general costs are depending on location, surroundings, etc.
I spoke at length to a couple of architects and got a chance to see them at work doing various duties and was given tours of the work they've done and are currently working on. These appointments were critical and usually wound up lasting much longer than the allotted times due to the apparent openness of the professionals I met. They were very friendly and giving of their time. I also got to see some very beautiful houses from the inside.
I got to see a plumber at work, who came in to fix a leak in the bathroom and wound up making it worse. He talked five times as much as he worked, and after he got done the water now shot out of the hot/cold water valves. The valves themselves had to be turned on and removed from the wall and the water collected in a bucket for a shower to be possible. The owners of the home got quite an attitude out of the guy, who was busy fighting on the phone over how much he was going to charge to fix something he broke and how it wasn't his fault.
A guy who owed a lawyer 10,000 pesos for a real estate transaction shows up on a street corner with 2,000 pesos and a smile, thinking that because the transaction was between friends/family members he wasn't required to pay the agreed upon fee. He felt very comfortable paying whatever he felt like paying and walked off without a hint of shame.
A few observations-
1) When something goes wrong, blame is deflected first and foremost. In fact, the manner in which discussions took place were always the same-deflecting blame takes precedence over solving the issue at hand. If you needed something done and it wasn't carried through, it's not their fault they forgot-it's your fault for not reminding them a million times. As long as that fact is established, a Dominican will have a good nights' sleep. So stand your ground and never let anyone run you over. You won't get respect any other way.
2) People expect you to read minds. Travel arrangements will change without your knowledge and you are expected to know of the changes, simply because if you are caught off-guard or unprepared it will always be your fault for not assuming even though no one told you what changes were in place.
3) One of the moist aggressive drivers I've ever seen in my life was a mild-mannered and easy-going structural engineer from the capital, who drove a two-seat pick-up truck with a baby in the back wedged against the front passenger seat for protection. This to me seemed the height of lunacy with a two-month old child in the back, but that's how she rolled.
4) Everywhere we went someone was giving us something from the backyard, whether it be a huge sack full of platanos from a small farm in Villa Taina or spinach and other things from places like Bonao or Moca. We never left anywhere empty-handed. Even on quick visits it was always "ben, dejame darte un poquito d'eto antes que te vayas..."
5) The Dominicans I met weren't as neurotically hyper-judgmental as some posters have made it seem when it comes to befriending foreigners. I got the sense that Dominicans have a much better sense of humor over turista shenanigans than is portrayed. Not I initiated the subject, but it was brought up a few times due to the fact that a turista was amongst them out in the campo where one is hardly ever seen. So I had to answer for my fellow travelers, and the conversations were always a laugh a minute.
6) The way things get done is with connections. Architects, building maestros, trade specialists and common construction laborers all know each other. If the first guy in line is dishonest, you can forget the others going down the line.
7) Sharing is key. If someone gives you something, make it known through your deeds that you are "disponible" to aid and assist when and where you can. This keeps the pipelines open and will help cement the interpersonal relationships that are key to a successful life in the DR. And it doesn't have to be a huge gesture. I spent an afternoon helping a young man with some basketball drills while on a visit and the family was very appreciative.
8) The best bet for living in the DR would be to live close to native Dominicans you know are good people. Having trustworthy neighbors is indispensable, and will be of more use than living in some tourist enclave where your next door neighbor could possible be some shady ex-pat running from the law.
9) You will never see some of the most beautiful, intelligent and well-raised Dominican women on the island if all you do is go to tourist spots exclusively, and will never meet them unless you have friends to introduce you. It just ain't gonna happen. I also met a few from good families who were beautiful but frivolous, lazy and uninteresting (I'm sure the thought the same of me), so don't be fooled.
Some of this stuff have been written about before, but like I said since this is from personal experience, it had a much more profound impact than just reading it from a computer screen.
