Things are different here, she says...

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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So, I know we're all sick of complaining about Dominicans and the Dominican way, but here is another. Take it as a cultural observation more than a complaint.


My nanny, she's a good one. The fourth, in two years. But, she cleans well, the kids like her, and she can cook. The icing on the cake was the day she made me a drink, unsolicited, while I was yelling at someone of the phone. Nanny +1.

Anywho, she is starting law school in Janurary. She asks me how much a computer would cost and if I can bring her one from the EE.UU, because she will need one for school. I say "US$2-300 for a basic 'go to school' model" If I can get her one, she'll pay it back a little at a time.

Here is where is starts to go down hill... I say, "your Christmas payment is 'X' dolares, and I will be paying you 'y' dolares for working extra hours while my family is here in Noviembre. "X + Y, equals exactly 'this much'", which is just enough to get you a computer for school. Which me familia can bring from Walleymart when they come in a two weeks!

I thought we had this in the bag. I bought her a cheap computer, sin payment for navidad y extra horas en Noviember.

WELLLLLL! Noticing how much money I 'owe her', she tells me that she might want a phone instead. I say "but, you nee a computer for school, right?" my answer was "Things are different here, different from the Estados Unidos"

She started needing a computer, then wanted some swag.
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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She is going to get a hold of her instructor and see of a phone is good enough. I am penitently waiting.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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842
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'Things are different here" has just been entered in the 2015 understatement of the Dominican year 2015 competition.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,513
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My go to answer is always " ya cant blame them for TRYING"..
this is how they are raised, you not gonna change them.
you have to take the good with the bad, or you will just need another DRINK.. and then it will be nanny +2 ?
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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She's Dominican, 24 may be closer.

statistically if she has an 8 year old, and thats her ONLY, I would be SHOKED if she is older than 28..
In their 30's they Mellow out quite a bit, and dont act like spoiled children as much any more.
 

Eleutheria

New member
Jun 23, 2015
268
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0
I highly doubt a computer is "mandatory" for uni here. Just can't see it, too poor a country, and if she's working as a nanny, she probably isn't going to prestigious, private university,
 

4*4*4

Bronze
May 4, 2015
566
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0
she needs one of those 1/2 phone, 1/2 tablet type things

Dell has big sales regularly

Good point! We have a desktop, laptop, tablet, two cell phones and probably only need one of those. Of course, I do all meeting prep on a yellow legal pad.
 
Apr 7, 2014
2,293
2
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So, I know we're all sick of complaining about Dominicans and the Dominican way, but here is another. Take it as a cultural observation more than a complaint.


My nanny, she's a good one. The fourth, in two years. But, she cleans well, the kids like her, and she can cook. The icing on the cake was the day she made me a drink, unsolicited, while I was yelling at someone of the phone. Nanny +1.

Anywho, she is starting law school in Janurary. She asks me how much a computer would cost and if I can bring her one from the EE.UU, because she will need one for school. I say "US$2-300 for a basic 'go to school' model" If I can get her one, she'll pay it back a little at a time.

Here is where is starts to go down hill... I say, "your Christmas payment is 'X' dolares, and I will be paying you 'y' dolares for working extra hours while my family is here in Noviembre. "X + Y, equals exactly 'this much'", which is just enough to get you a computer for school. Which me familia can bring from Walleymart when they come in a two weeks!

I thought we had this in the bag. I bought her a cheap computer, sin payment for navidad y extra horas en Noviember.

WELLLLLL! Noticing how much money I 'owe her', she tells me that she might want a phone instead. I say "but, you nee a computer for school, right?" my answer was "Things are different here, different from the Estados Unidos"

She started needing a computer, then wanted some swag.
Well if you would bring one thing, then why not bring another?
Someone told her a smartphone with wi-fi is more utilitarian than a laptop.

Sent from my N9510 using Tapatalk
 
Apr 7, 2014
2,293
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statistically if she has an 8 year old, and thats her ONLY, I would be SHOKED if she is older than 28..
In their 30's they Mellow out quite a bit, and dont act like spoiled children as much any more.
Says who? When it comes from YOUR pockets there is little common sense.

Sent from my N9510 using Tapatalk
 

No Place Like Home

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2013
708
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48
It seems like the more we give the more they want. AND get upset with you when you don't give more.
Enough is never enough, we stopped giving. AND this hurts the people that really need it cause we can't
tell the difference between the ones that need it and that ones that don't.
 

4*4*4

Bronze
May 4, 2015
566
0
0
It seems like the more we give the more they want. AND get upset with you when you don't give more.
Enough is never enough, we stopped giving. AND this hurts the people that really need it cause we can't
tell the difference between the ones that need it and that ones that don't.

It seems to be human nature. Fundraisers do not target the wealthy, they target those that give. We never received a call from my university until we began giving.

We try to help in the DR, but quickly learned that a finite plan needs to be clearly explained from the onset. This doesn't mean the help cannot be tiny or on a grand scale. My style was to be nonchalant with our assistance, but quickly learned it needs to be well defined or else there is, at best, awkwardness or, at worst, hard feelings.
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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36
I mean, you're all right. It is her money! It won't cost me more no matter what she wants.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
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48
www.
All to your credit to have a person studying law working in your household regardless of the university where she is studying.

Good household help is hard to find these days. You want to keep her happy.

Would consider the smart phone as part of the tools provided for her to do her work. It will be better for her to use for browsing the Internet as it is less prone to catch a virus.

Good idea about her working extra to pay for the computer. She will value it more.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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i don't understand this story. not being sarcastic, i just don't get what is it about. so your maid wanted a computer, you figured out it can be purchased with her overtime pay and xmas bonus; now she says she wants a phone instead because "things are different in DR than in the USA". what things? americans prefer computers and domincans prefer phones? americans keep their word and dominicans don't? americans are sensible and reasonable and dominicans are not? i don't get it. what's she on about?
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
4,502
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Cabarete
As long as you are sure she will pay you back, who cares what she has? It's good to help good employees.
 

Eleutheria

New member
Jun 23, 2015
268
0
0
i don't understand this story. not being sarcastic, i just don't get what is it about. so your maid wanted a computer, you figured out it can be purchased with her overtime pay and xmas bonus; now she says she wants a phone instead because "things are different in DR than in the USA". what things? americans prefer computers and domincans prefer phones? americans keep their word and dominicans don't? americans are sensible and reasonable and dominicans are not? i don't get it. what's she on about?

I think the issue is that she said she NEEDED the computer for uni, but then changed her request to a phone.