Aplatanado or going native, Dominican style

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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Just happened to be surfing the net and came across this article.

https://dominican-republic-live.com...latanado-or-going-native-dominican-style.html

It was very interesting in that there are some expat posters on dr1 who think if you don't live the rice and beans life you are not embracing the Dominican culture. On the other hand I think the large majority of expats feel I came here a Brit, a Canuck, an American and that is all I ever will or ever want to be.

Myself I do my best to respect the Dominican people as I am only a guest here and will never be no more. I am happy with that. I really don't need a Dominican to say i am "aplatanado". If they say I am not one of those ugly Americans that is a good enough comment for me.

So your thought?


excerpt:

One of the biggest compliments a Dominican can give a foreigner is that he or she is aplatanado. Literally it means that the newcomer has become like a plantain, but what they’re actually telling you is that you’re one of us.

It’s not a compliment that is dished out lightly. In the Dominican Republic, plantains are much more than just a staple food; they are central to the national identity. The iconic breakfast dish in the DR, mangú, is made with boiled and mashed green plantains, garnished with fried onions and served with fried cheese or even fried salami. Tostones are fried green plantain slices – not to be confused with fritos or fritos maduros - fried slices of ripe plantain.

Dominicans are so attached to plantains that they find it difficult to imagine that there are countries where not only does it not feature in the daily diet, it is considered exotic, obscure even.

As expat Brits in the Dominican Republic, Expat FAQs: Moving to and Living in the Dominican Republic authors Ginnie Bedggood and Ilana Benady accepted that they would never fully transform into Dominicans no matter long they lived in their adopted country, but there is a process of aplatanamiento that they, like most foreigners in the DR were undergoing.

How do gringos qualify for aplatanado status ? On a superficial level it happens when the foreigner is seen to be embracing Dominican ways of doing things, like dancing, enjoying the local cuisine and using uniquely Dominican turns of phrase. Dominican friends will react with delight and pronounce the gringo aplatanado.

But eating rice and beans, dancing merengue and bachata and saying un chin (a little bit) is the least of it. The minor things that initially seemed strange, wrong or even unpleasant or annoying and go on to become normal, correct and even pleasurable are what really indicate that you’re well on your way to becoming aplatanado.

............
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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We can start a list BBird...
About conserving the heritage but embracing the local culture...

I’ll start—

I use a Guagua when need be
I have credit at the gas station... monthly
I use ‘nitido’ on occasion
I blow my horn at bad drivers
I use my hand to signal turns

That’s a start....

But I don’t bend to everything....
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
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We can start a list BBird...
About conserving the heritage but embracing the local culture...

I’ll start—

I use a Guagua when need be
I have credit at the gas station... monthly
I use ‘nitido’ on occasion
I blow my horn at bad drivers
I use my hand to signal turns

That’s a start....

But I don’t bend to everything....

I use the local barbershop.
I buy at the local colmado.
I drink Brugal.

I don't play Dominoes.
I don't eat plato del dias.
I don't ditch people in line.
Bachata and Merengue, well born with two left feet.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
We can start a list BBird...
About conserving the heritage but embracing the local culture...

I’ll start—

I use a Guagua when need be
I have credit at the gas station... monthly
I use ‘nitido’ on occasion
I blow my horn at bad drivers
I use my hand to signal turns

That’s a start....

But I don’t bend to everything....

i find it interesting that you mention making hand signals for turns. when i went for my license in Jamaica, you had to signal your intent to turn with your hands...
 

JDFriend

the Translator
May 15, 2007
112
43
28
I sing along to the Anthony Santos music
I put the volume UP when I listen to music
I 'm not bad at meringue y bachata
I lllllove cooking and eating moro de pollo y guandules
I have my Brugal whenever I feel like it
I use the word "vaina" all the time
but
I don't play dominos
and I don't use the "c" word that Dominicans use all the time.
Oh.. and one thing I will never do - is cut at the front of the line.



Sent from my SGH-T999V using Tapatalk
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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The lines...

I call them out on it if they try to ‘jump’ me

No Plato del dia but empanadas, yuca fritatas (?)
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
The lines...

I call them out on it if they try to ‘jump’ me

No Plato del dia but empanadas, yuca fritatas (?)

I can go with the empanadas but those plato del dia with ten pounds of rice is just too much for me. If i eat two plato del dia in a month that is one too many. Oh, agua de coco, I can drink that every day, two or three times a day.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,471
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dr1.com
I have Dominican citizenship but don't speak Spanish well enough to be Dominican. My Dominican family don't eat salami and rarely eat platanos. Lots of fruit, veggies, rice, beans, avocados, chicken, salad, pasta, eggs, moro with guandules, potato salad every Sunday. Pork only at Christmas. I am pretty accepted and greeted all over town but aplatanado, not yet. I can dance Merengue but not bachata, at least not as good as most Dominicans. My wife's cousin and her two daughters always ask me to dance at a party, but I think that's just because we are really good friends. I have credit at several ferreterías. I don't have either time or inclination to play Dominions and nobody in my immediate Dominican family either plays Dominos or drinks. They aren't religious, they just aren't drinkers. My wife's brother that lives in Winchester Mass drinks a lot. I stop at red lights but only curse once or twice on a trip to Santiago. I can drive anywhere. The DR is easier than Greece or Egypt.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
I live in a Dominican campo, with a Dominican family and Dominican neighbours. I speak Spanish all day long, listen to Dominican news, cook and eat Dominican food. I also cook Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian and British food. I dance merengue and bachata but my salsa sucks. I use guaguas and motoconchos and colmados. I drink rum and coffee the Dominican way. I don't go to the doctor for analysis every week, I can't kill and pluck a chicken, I hate loud music and I can only sit chatting on a plastic chair for 30 mins max. I share food and produce with my neighbours, I can cook for up to 10 uninvited guests and I don't get offended when they decide to mop my house.

Matilda
 

BermudaRum

Bronze
Oct 9, 2007
1,206
369
83
Wow here I thought I was a Dominican after my local GF called me a tigre' after one month of dating. It was soon followed by the c word after she was never able to get salon money from me, but like everything here in the DR, we parted as good friends and certaiin benefits never ended. I also remained good friends with her male cousin, which I think he was..lol Merengue and bachata was easy to learn and enjoy as a gringo, next the difficult salsa, and stop ordering those nice presidente light grandes with only one plastic cup....never had a problem with the Plata del dia with 20 lbs of rice given, just reheat the next day and another meal is ready..
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
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Things I don't do but if I were aplantando (just can't qualify) I would say:

I throw my Styrofoam food containers on the side of the road.
I ignore red lights.
I leave my speakers set at ear damaging volumes until 4 AM
I never dim my lights
I cut in line but just - un chin.
I drink lots of cheap rum and drive home from the beach on Sundays.
I speak very loudly so people around me know how important I am (not limited to Dominicans)
I drive a car and never maintain a darn thing.
I drive fast on bald tires and pass and force others off the road (especially on Sundays) .
I smack my wife and chias when they disrespect me
I don't support my 6 children with 4 women
I support Los Tigres de Licey
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Things I don't do but if I were aplantando (just can't qualify) I would say:

I throw my Styrofoam food containers on the side of the road.
I ignore red lights.
I leave my speakers set at ear damaging volumes until 4 AM
I never dim my lights
I cut in line but just - un chin.
I drink lots of cheap rum and drive home from the beach on Sundays.
I speak very loudly so people around me know how important I am (not limited to Dominicans)
I drive a car and never maintain a darn thing.
I drive fast on bald tires and pass and force others off the road (especially on Sundays) .
I smack my wife and chias when they disrespect me
I don't support my 6 children with 4 women
I support Los Tigres de Licey

why did i know that your list would not have one positive and complimentary thing to say about the people of the country in which you have chosen to reside?

another guy who judges a group of people by the worst of them. jeez.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
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113
why did i know that your list would not have one positive and complimentary thing to say about the people of the country in which you have chosen to reside?

another guy who judges a group of people by the worst of them. jeez.
I said I support Licey.

But come to my neighborhood and help me pick up the Styrofoam and bottles thrown nightly (not to mention mattresses) with no regard for the environment - then we can talk.


Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
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I said I support Licey.

But come to my neighborhood and help me pick up the Styrofoam and bottles thrown nightly (not to mention mattresses) with no regard for the environment - then we can talk.


Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk

i see styrofoam plates on the street in my neighborhood. i hear loud cars in my friend's neighborhood. anything you have listed, we all see. we do not have to go to your abode to acquaint ourselves with the seedier aspects of the Dominican reality.

that is not the point. you choose to live in someone else's country, and the very best reciprocity that you can show is to demean the people, without inserting one positive remark. if i have to tell you how ugly that is, you won't get it.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,069
6,216
113
South Coast
Things I don't do but if I were aplantando (just can't qualify) I would say:

I throw my Styrofoam food containers on the side of the road.
I ignore red lights.
I leave my speakers set at ear damaging volumes until 4 AM
I never dim my lights
I cut in line but just - un chin.
I drink lots of cheap rum and drive home from the beach on Sundays.
I speak very loudly so people around me know how important I am (not limited to Dominicans)
I drive a car and never maintain a darn thing.
I drive fast on bald tires and pass and force others off the road (especially on Sundays) .
I smack my wife and chias when they disrespect me
I don't support my 6 children with 4 women
I support Los Tigres de Licey

You need to meet different Dominicans.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
6,306
113
You need to meet different Dominicans.

I speak good Spanish and know many Dominicans that I like and several I frequently go out to dinner or the beach with, but the ones who drive into our neighborhood (because it is a little forested & open to the public) and throw their trash on a nightly basis really irks me. The rats of course love it - this makes me want to relocate to a gated community where access is restricted.

We are talking mainly the montoconchos hauling up garbage bags to dispose it for the fish restaurant below and the taxistas after they have a dinner meal - we have all seen them blatantly do it.

It irritates our Dominican neighbors too.

I can live with & adjust to all my other gripes - but the trash and mistreatment (by a few) of animals really are 2 things I won't stop critiquing or get used to.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,471
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dr1.com
Welp another good thread ruined by a bitter expat who refuses to go back home where it's so great and clean.

Lots of Dominicans get annoyed at all the garbage thrown around as well. The properties my wife and I just bought are on a dead end road and pretty well all the other properties are owned by Dominicans and there are no tirar basura signs everywhere.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
...........

I can live with & adjust to all my other gripes - but the trash and mistreatment (by a few) of animals really are 2 things I won't stop critiquing or get used to.


I can live with and adjust
............. now let's be honest the trash tossing is, well simply a lack of education and I gonna go out on a limb and agree with chicobill. Strange thing i visited my ladyfriend in SD este Sunday after parque de las luces. I say you want a Presidente Jumbo. Response was NO, wait we go walk. Well we take a three block walk so she can show me the three bock hang out spot. Finished the Brahma beer and the plastic cup time to dispose.

I was ready to go "aplatanodo" and toss the cup to the curb. I looked down and surprisingly there was no trash on the street. Walked about twenty feet and there was a garbage receptacle filled to the rim with trash properly disposed.

Just my two pesos worth of brain but it always seems what city, area, neighborhood you are in where things can be so different.............