Central/South American Time,...

explorer1

New member
Jul 7, 2013
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Hello.

I have asked many questions about DR on this forum, and have gleaned some very useful information as a result. Although I have still not visited the country yet, I just returned from a trip to a different Central American country.

What I found perhaps most striking, in terms of cultural difference, is what seems to be an absolute disregard for doing anything at all in anything that even remotely resembles a timely manner. If the German's are on one end of the spectrum in terms of efficiency and a sense of duty, Panama, Costa Rica, and I suspect other 3rd World/ Developing countries are on the other end.

Now, to the point: is this a Latin thing? In other words, Should I expect the total abandonment of such niceties as returning a phone call/email message regarding important business matters, getting a glass of wine in a restaurant before it turns to vinegar, and so forth, in the Dominican Republic as well? Or is it just Central America that seems to not have gotten the memo indicating that 5:00 means 5:00, as opposed to sometime between 8:00 and three months from now? I spent several weeks enjoying very nice weather, only to return to find the U.S. locked in a death match with Old Man Winter. Time to escape again; different country, very soon...D.R. is in the cross hairs. Would like to know what to expect before taking the plunge...which I will likely do anyway.
 
To give you an example of some Dominicans timely manor: Yesterday we called our electricity guy who lives about 10 minutes away b/c we are having power issues. He said he would be at our casa rapido, 3 hours later he showed up. We just assumed he was going to come another day maybe since you really never know when people will show up.

I have always been a fast mover and slowness is a pet peeve of mine, well moving here has MADE ME not care as much about slowness b.c it would eat me alive everyday here!!

Some people seem to return phone calls others don't, it's a crap shoot which is part of the adventure of living here!

Get ready to see people not move quickly but really it is HOT here so I can't blame them that much...
 

explorer1

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Jul 7, 2013
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A few moths ago, I got a call about a teaching position in the DR. I made the mistake of asking her to call back in 20 minutes; she said half an hour. Months later, still waiting.

Got request for an interview (teaching again) in C.A. with a time, less than a week away, specified. After at least 5 emails acknowledging the request, and requesting a date later in the week--I was gonna actually fly there-- absolutely no response whatsoever.

Met a chick with a brownish-blondish wig in C.A., who, after a few drinks, agreed to give me the local tour. After agreeing on 10 a.m., I left my rooms at about noon. She found me at the bar a couple of hours later, asking "where were you?".

This is like dealing with children...only that after several years dealing with children for a living, I find children to be more responsible. It is hard not to be culturally insensitive... I now understand how the "banana republic" pejorative got started... just sayin'.
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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Please don't say manana if you don't mean............As North Americans we are a people that revolve around time. The problem is when we travel to places like the DR we still bring our same thinking with us. You have to try, as best you can, to nail down a time frame. 10 AM to 12 PM fall into the same area of time to many Dominicans. Manana en la manana or mas tarde not important to most residents in the Caribbean or SA.

LTSteve
 

sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
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I'm Dominican by birth but American - raised if that makes sense. When I first moved to the DR permanently 4 years ago or so I thought the same way you do, why is nobody ever on time, they dont give a **** about me, calling them 50 times, feeling like I'm annoying people to get them to do things on time..

Now.. I'm usually the one taking my sweet time and I honestly don't care if people are late as hell, as long as they make it to me on the same day. I guess it's a latin thing since I noticed the same thing in most south american countries.. When I see people freaking out about waiting a few minutes I just tell them to chill out and soak in the beautiful day :)