What amazes me is the effort some folks make in defining who is respectable (a 24/7 DR-living Dominican) and who isn't.
Was not TJ a respectable American while living in France? How 'bout ol' Ben F.? Did Hemingway's writings degrade while in Europe or Cuba? GGM's stay in Mexico? Pablo Casals in PR? Becken? Cuco Valoy? F. Scott Fitzgerald?
And what about seasonal Dominican sport figures? Do they regain respectability once MLB season ends, only to falter once spring training begins? What a cycle!
Some of you have just moved to the DR in recent years (months, as in cobra's case). However, the stuff we read in these here pages are chock-full of contradictions: one "esteemed" Santiaguero (by way of Islamabad) brags about his knowledge of slang, thus his superiority in DR culture, while ignoring the fact that his biggest booster and protector knows even less than those he disparages. But that's not a big deal. Here's the real deal:
Do you folks really ask yourselves those questions: Who is and who isn't a respectable Dominican? Do you think the mere fact of living anywhere makes you a cultural authority?
Here, I'll keep it simple:
Will Pib cease to be respectable if she moved to Europe? And what about the great mondongo, will HE ever be considered respectable while residing in Mass? Then you have Mr. Lu, who was born and raised and educated in the US. Did he attain respectability ONLY after moving to the DR? Was he relegated to Dom-Yorkness status (as if that was a bad thing) before moving? How does that work? The hotel manager who gave you a discount in Bayahibe, is he respectable? But he was deported in '99. Does it change your opinion? The lawyer who helped you with your papers in SD, was he such a nice guy even after switching sides to go with the money in a real estate dispute in PC?
Amazingly, most Dominicans in the DR--no matter what you read here--do not obsess about these things. "You don't live here, so you don't know." OK, I don't live there. What's the point? Have you found such a well-kept secret regarding the DR that no one, NO ONE but you is privy to?
Could it be something deeper than your ex-pat $tatu$? Can a Haitian in the DR have similar opinions? Or is it just you? I mean, they have been there longer than you. So, by your logic, Haitians and Cocolos and everyone else before you should have final say. Right? Yes, this "ability" to dictate may be deeply ingrained in you. And that's a chapter waiting to be written.
There's no room for anecdote (Ni dizque "I know this Haitian who owns a Benz," ni que ocho cuarto). "But a Dominican gave me a fridge, so he's respectable..."
No. No. No. We ain't that dumb, folks. Give us Dominicans a break: Be respectable ex-pats. Do as Lambada and GWB do: live and learn and love. Some of us Dominicans have learned from them. Why don't you?
"Thread closed."