what i like about the north coast...

bochinche

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Jun 19, 2003
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on my travels in the dom rep, i have noticed that the foreigners, expats, layabouts, or whatever you want to call them that live up on the north coast do have "it" cushy compared to us in the south....a la capital (french, not spanish).

don't let them kid you, the people up there do not assimilate to the dominican culture as much as they would like you to believe....in fact, i daresay it is the reverse. the dominicans are the ones doing the assimilating.

i recently read a post from the master, here in the south, criss colon, about how some evil dominican york woman parked her vehicle in front of his clinic......and the events that followed.
apparently he didn't lose his cool and insisted in speaking spanish in answer to her english 'patois'.
i just can't see this happening on the north coast.

amongst others, it was chirrymiry who said she has a lot of experience travelling/living here and there, but i'm sure even this lady would attest to the fact that santo domingo does not have the same expat atmosphere as most other countries visited or lived in.
no. the capital is purely dominican (unlike the north coast). you do miss a lot if you don't speak spanish, and it can be tough to get ahead. you also need a lot more 'grit' than those who live on the north coast.

however, here is what i like........in the capital, if you are white, you are assumed to be a gringo. in the north, if you are white, you can be walking on the beach, or on the road, etc. .....and be greeted by those most international of words "sprechen sie deutsch?".....to which you can turn around, with a twinkle in your eye, and say "f*ck off, you wanker! i speak english."..........................absolute classic.
it just doesn't work in the capital.

people who live in santiago - foreign or dominican are just so "comparona" that nobody gives a toss about them anyway.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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bochinche said:
on my travels in the dom rep, i have noticed that the foreigners, expats, layabouts, or whatever you want to call them that live up on the north coast do have "it" cushy compared to us in the south....a la capital (french, not spanish).

don't let them kid you, the people up there do not assimilate to the dominican culture as much as they would like you to believe....in fact, i daresay it is the reverse. the dominicans are the ones doing the assimilating.

i recently read a post from the master, here in the south, criss colon, about how some evil dominican york woman parked her vehicle in front of his clinic......and the events that followed.
apparently he didn't lose his cool and insisted in speaking spanish in answer to her english 'patois'.
i just can't see this happening on the north coast.

amongst others, it was chirrymiry who said she has a lot of experience travelling/living here and there, but i'm sure even this lady would attest to the fact that santo domingo does not have the same expat atmosphere as most other countries visited or lived in.
no. the capital is purely dominican (unlike the north coast). you do miss a lot if you don't speak spanish, and it can be tough to get ahead. you also need a lot more 'grit' than those who live on the north coast.

however, here is what i like........in the capital, if you are white, you are assumed to be a gringo. in the north, if you are white, you can be walking on the beach, or on the road, etc. .....and be greeted by those most international of words "sprechen sie deutsch?".....to which you can turn around, with a twinkle in your eye, and say "f*ck off, you wanker! i speak english."..........................absolute classic.
it just doesn't work in the capital.

people who live in santiago - foreign or dominican are just so "comparona" that nobody gives a toss about them anyway.
I don't want to create a "bochinche", :surprised

but the point of this is...???

-NAL
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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Come visit US next time you are up this way Bochinche. We may not be as practiced & coherent in Spanish as you southerners, but a few of us can manage the odd phrase in Spanish - enough to get a house built, pay our taxes, avoid getting into trouble etc!!!!!

I accept the point you are trying to make & would subscribe to the GENERALISATION - English is spoken much too freely because so many Dominicans make the effort to learn it. Consequently, more of the Ex-Pats fall into the cushioned existence of NOT having to learn Spanish - their misfortune!!

Re your speaking of German analogy, I often play that one along for a few moments when it happens up here to me. I DO speak some German, plus a little French, so can play the game for 1/2 hour before letting them know that I am NEITHER of these, .................. in my very bad Spanish of course!! ~ GWB.
 

Roberto284

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Jul 2, 2004
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Nal0whs said:
I don't want to create a "bochinche", :surprised

but the point of this is...???

-NAL

There's not an exact point in the post .. but its true that Dominicans in the north coast try to assimilate to their surroundings in order to make a living.
Of course not all ..

And about the culture .... there's none in the north coast.


Rob
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Although in general what bochincha says is true, there are exceptions. Just as there are some north coasters who are integrated with the local community (shagging sankies and putas doesn't count) and speak good Spanish, it is possible to insulate oneself from too much contact with the natives in the capital as well.

It can be done. I've met people in SD who live in complete expat bubbles. The only Dominicans they come into contact with are their maids, drivers and gardeners. Their company or the embassy takes care of all the unpleasant bureaucratic stuff and they socialise and work exclusively with other foreigners. They might invite a 'tame' native to their gatherings once in a while to give the impression they are integrated.

The schools they send their children to are like little chunks of their country of origin transported and transplanted onto Dominican soil. They certainly never learn much Spanish, especially if they can get a Haitian maid who speaks French or a returned Dominican York maid who speaks English.

Claro que I'm exaggerating for effect, but the reality is not far off.
 

NALs

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Roberto284 said:
And about the culture .... there's none in the north coast.


Rob
Well, actually there is a culture.

We can call it, international, because its no different from other homogenized tourist clad places on this planet!

-NAL
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Malibook said:
Perhaps bochinche is considering moving to the north coast but he would likely miss his entertainment too much.;)
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37412

Good find,Malibrook. Also, must be nice to have a jag. I don't know any expat on the North Coast able to travel in that sort of luxury. Certainly not my wife and I. During the 20 years we have lived here we have done all our traveling by publico, guagua, Caribe Tours and Metro along with the great majority of Dominicans whose North Coast we share.
 

NALs

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Chirimoya said:
A Helicopter too, you forgot that.
You seem to be focusing alot on the skies lately?!

Searching for UFOs? ;)

Rumor has it that in Constanza there have been some sightings of UFOs, not sure if true, but since that valley was created by a meteor from outerspace millenias ago....:rolleyes:

-NAL:classic:
 

Chirimoya

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Nal0whs said:
You seem to be focusing alot on the skies lately?!

Nal, I don't know what you mean, but if you tell me there's any chance of an encounter with beings from the planet Marmite, I might start looking skywards.;)
 

Ken

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Chirimoya said:
A Helicopter too, you forgot that.

What better way to assimilate, Chiri, than to tool around in a jag and fly over the masses in a helicopter? I'm impressed at the lengths the South Coast expats go to blend in. ;)

To get the beggars dancing, do you suppose they order "baile!" or just toot the bocina?
 

Chirimoya

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I suppose you never imagined that I dictate these posts to a secretary. I'm usually too busy receiving a foot massage or a facial, and being fed peeled grapes by another servant. You north coasters don't know the half of it.
 

AnnaC

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Jan 2, 2002
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I smell a North coast vs South coast battle brewing here.

Let me go make some popcorn. BRB ;)
 

NALs

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Anna Coniglio said:
I smell a North coast vs South coast battle brewing here.

Let me go make some popcorn. BRB ;)
Make sure you make plenty to go around!

-NAL:classic:
 

Ken

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Chirimoya said:
I suppose you never imagined that I dictate these posts to a secretary. I'm usually too busy receiving a foot massage or a facial, and being fed peeled grapes by another servant. You north coasters don't know the half of it.

Too true, Chiri. All these years I've thought that life was better on the North Coast. But then all I know about the South Coast are my impressions from our trips to Santo Domingo to see our doctors. If nothing else, this thread has opened my eyes to how primitive life is on the north coast. I doubt that I'll have another happy day until I relocate.

Once there, do you suppose I can find a beautiful south coast senorita to feed me grapes and rub my feet?