American Thrown off The Guagua
My neighbor from Tampa, a "newbie" here in the DR, was recently returning from Jaibon(about 35 miles NW of Santiago) to Santiago. Shortly after he got on the guagua, the driver got into a very irritated discourse with the other passengers telling them they had an American on the guagua. He doesn't speak much Spanish at all, but he could tell that, what ever the driver was saying, he was not happy with him being there.
Shortly afterwards, he demanded to see my friend's "papers". He showed the driver a copy of his passport. The driver was not satisfied at all and demanded that he get off the bus - they were in the middle of "nowhere" at that point. He insisted that the driver continue to the next town - which he reluctlantly agreed to do. All the other passengers were saying - no, no, don't do that.
When he got to the town he asked for his money back(200 pesos). The driver would go to give it to him, and then would repeatedly taunt him by quickly pulling the money away as soon as he reached for it.
I'm not familiar with this part of the DR. Anyone know why there would be such antagonism towards an American in this area?
My neighbor from Tampa, a "newbie" here in the DR, was recently returning from Jaibon(about 35 miles NW of Santiago) to Santiago. Shortly after he got on the guagua, the driver got into a very irritated discourse with the other passengers telling them they had an American on the guagua. He doesn't speak much Spanish at all, but he could tell that, what ever the driver was saying, he was not happy with him being there.
Shortly afterwards, he demanded to see my friend's "papers". He showed the driver a copy of his passport. The driver was not satisfied at all and demanded that he get off the bus - they were in the middle of "nowhere" at that point. He insisted that the driver continue to the next town - which he reluctlantly agreed to do. All the other passengers were saying - no, no, don't do that.
When he got to the town he asked for his money back(200 pesos). The driver would go to give it to him, and then would repeatedly taunt him by quickly pulling the money away as soon as he reached for it.
I'm not familiar with this part of the DR. Anyone know why there would be such antagonism towards an American in this area?