Reading and taking part in Chip's thread, I was reminded of the different bubbles people live in - a recurring theme of AZB's posts. He is quick to point out that the north coast expat bubble where Dominican life is summed up as motoconchos, mondongo and bachata is not the full picture when it comes to DR life, that there is another world, the one that he inhabits in Santiago, with all the affluence and sophistication, more even, that many of these gringos could ever dream of for themselves.
So far so good, and fair enough. I find myself reacting in much the same way when a poster says, in response to a question about Japanese restaurants, that he didn't think Dominicans would go for that, what with them all being rice-and-beans type people really.
However, there are other 'bubbles' in the DR that many posters appear to be unaware of. They, like the Santiago and Santo Domingo jeepetocracies, are by no means the majority (that claim goes to the 'barrio' culture which due to poverty and poor education comprises the majority of Dominicans), but they are also part of Dominican society.
Just because you don't move in those circles it doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm talking about the people I mentioned in Chip's thread - the 'alternative' types who don't conform to all the rigid conservative codes yet still manage to be useful members of society. These are Dominican journalists, artists, musicians, social workers, academics, campaigners etc. who do not worship jeepetas, and are cultured and educated, tolerant and low-key. Add to this a couple of successful business people with a social conscience and who are confident enough not to feel the need to be ostentatious!
The point being that the population of the DR is large and diverse enough for most people to find their niche.
So far so good, and fair enough. I find myself reacting in much the same way when a poster says, in response to a question about Japanese restaurants, that he didn't think Dominicans would go for that, what with them all being rice-and-beans type people really.
However, there are other 'bubbles' in the DR that many posters appear to be unaware of. They, like the Santiago and Santo Domingo jeepetocracies, are by no means the majority (that claim goes to the 'barrio' culture which due to poverty and poor education comprises the majority of Dominicans), but they are also part of Dominican society.
Just because you don't move in those circles it doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm talking about the people I mentioned in Chip's thread - the 'alternative' types who don't conform to all the rigid conservative codes yet still manage to be useful members of society. These are Dominican journalists, artists, musicians, social workers, academics, campaigners etc. who do not worship jeepetas, and are cultured and educated, tolerant and low-key. Add to this a couple of successful business people with a social conscience and who are confident enough not to feel the need to be ostentatious!
The point being that the population of the DR is large and diverse enough for most people to find their niche.
