Never be on time

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Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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I was invited to a Dominican party last night. My dear maid---and friend---got married yesterday and made herself a beautiful party at home last night. She told us it was to start at 6.30, so I rented a car so that I could transport the other two girlfriends and myself in style and comfort, without ruining the dresses or the hair.

Before I left to pick them up, I was giving the dog a spin around the block because I knew it would be a late evening and I didn't want to come home to any little "surprises" on my rug. One of the girlfriends' husband is a money changer on the street and I see him every time I take the dog out,and Pedro starts yelling at me (it's 5.00), what are you doing here, you're supposed to be on your way to Puerto Plata, my wife and her sister are sitting there waiting for you, and I'm like, Pedro, chill. So I come home, brush my teeth, put on lipstick, give the hair a final fluff, and head out to pick them up.

They're in no particular hurry. We have some juice, the sobrina does Morena's hair, we take some pictures, and we head out.

We arrive at the party at about 6.30 and we are the first ones there. They are still setting up tables and chairs and decorating and the bride is still in jeans and a t-shirt. So we sit and we sit and we sit and my friends don't drink because they are some kind of special Christian and I can't, because I'm driving, and not until 9 o'clock does the bride retire to her room to get back into her wedding dress and the party can begin. And then they take pictures I swear of everybody at the party with the bride and groom, with the cake, and I kept saying to my friends, we are next, I'm telling you. And they say, no, we're only work friends, no way, and sure enough, the photographer hauls us up there for several fots with bride & groom & cake. I would have been slightly more good natured about it had the groom not been caressing my waist....

The food didn't come out until 11, and it was very good. By now, the party is in full swing and the three of us are so tired we can barely hold our heads up.

But the moral of the story is never, ever be on time. It's a First World thing and it gets you nowhere in this country. Except it does get you wedding cake to eat for breakfast......
 

GringoRubio

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Oct 15, 2015
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I love the story. Very dominican. I've learned to interpret times as "not before" the given time and potentially hours later. If you're on time, you should probably BYOB and be prepared to help as a courtesy to the host.
 

chic

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Nov 20, 2013
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of the few weddings ive been to (in dr) i was unaware of the lack of gifts.....
but give i did,,,,and as most weddings the food was delic...ious
one i was early ,,,terrible,,,,,,time
another i arrived in the middle of service hahaha
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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My wedding started an hour later because the piano player didn't show up in time, was taking a bath.....

I've been to many weddings here and would always arrive late (but still on time)because of joining my wife...., once however I went alone to a wedding and arrived on time to an empty church (after already making some detours near the place. I think I sat alone in that church for 45 minutes before other people arrived (except decorators etc.)
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i was 5 minutes late to my wedding (in poland often a bride is a bit late). everyone else, including the judge, was already there :hurt:

other than that we always arrive late to weddings and i make sure we stop somewhere to eat before we go because on many occasions we did not last long enough to be served food. normally in DR food and cake is a sign to the guests to get the fcuk out so buffet opens well after midnight. then old farts go home and the party continues in reduced numbers.

when my SIL got married she had a party in some fancy shmancy gated community. guards had guests list and they did not want to let us in. turned out that this dumbfcuk did not bother to write the names of the closest family members thinking it would be obvious. right.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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Yes, eating before the wedding is a good idea anyway, most of the time I don't like the food anyway.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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Oh, yea. I definitely ate before I went. I anticipated that part, anyway.

It was also interesting that the bride was also working as waitress, server, cleaner, and bathroom door attendant. In First World weddings, the bride & groom get waited on hand & foot. I didn't EVEN try to explain that one.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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maybe in case of poorer folks, the weddings i've been to often cost more than our house, the bride does nothing.
 

mart1n

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Jul 13, 2006
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In first world countries time is money so we take it very seriously. Dominicans have a different way of looking at time and it is even in their language for example we would say I will see you tomorrow and that is a commitment on our part. Dominicans say I will see you if god is willing this means that they are not responsible if they are late it is gods fault not theirs.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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In first world countries time is money so we take it very seriously. Dominicans have a different way of looking at time and it is even in their language for example we would say I will see you tomorrow and that is a commitment on our part. Dominicans say I will see you if god is willing this means that they are not responsible if they are late it is gods fault not theirs.
You have a serious obsession with the God willing expression...
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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Genius writing, and funny!

Frank

There's an expanded version on my actual blog that I decided not to post on DR-1, as I have been flamed lately, so I'm laying low. But thanks. I sag and sigh for your approval.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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I love the story. Very dominican. I've learned to interpret times as "not before" the given time and potentially hours later. If you're on time, you should probably BYOB and be prepared to help as a courtesy to the host.

We tried to help; we tried to schlep. It was the wedding reception of my maid, and I think she was sort of offended that I wanted to schlep for her.
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
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Had a similar experience when one of my wife's friends invited us to her wedding reception. Similar time too, 6:30 at the bride's house. We arrived on time and were the first ones there. But at least the tables, chairs and food was laid out and there was beer.....lots' of it.

The party didn't get into full swing until around 10pm and the food didn't get served until 11pm, by which time it was stone cold!

I regret not taking the wife's advice of stopping to eat something on the way. i couldn't quite understand why she even thought of eating on the way to a wedding party.
 

wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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I still can't figure out the fact that when I'm driving,everyone seems to be in a helluva rush to get by,bust red lights,hustle pedestrians, make double and triple lanes in the queues and zoom everywhere,and fail miserably to be anywhere on time..
 

Virgo

Bronze
Oct 26, 2013
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Oh, get over yourself. Dominicans punctuate every sentence with "si Dios quieres." This is where you live. Or don't you?

The Dominicans *YOU* know. I don't punctuate every sentence with "si Dios quieres", and know great many Dominicans who don't either.
It is probably something related to educational level, and/or how religious one is.

The Dominicans who do, do NOT actually mean it in a literal sense.

"Si Dios quiere" is NOT a Dominican invention. It is used all over the Spanish-speaking world. The meaning is closer to "I hope".
In fact, the standard Spanish word for "I hope" is OJAL? which LITERALLY means "God willing", in Arabic.

Some also feel it is a way of showing RESPECT to GOD. That is, I want to do it, but God has "veto" power on everything.
 
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