About Dominican People

[ohomem_t]

My feeling about Dominicans has always been a negative one. Whenever I'm among them, I feel like I'm an outsider, since we're completely different people. I'm currently working in a factory where the majority are Dominican people. I personally can't stand many of them, and only because jobs are really bad right now, I have no choice but to work in that factory if I want to earn something. But I will definitely seek better employment in which people from Dom. Rep. are not the majority. I don't care for the fact that my family has origin from that country. My standards are too high to accept how the majority of them think and act.
I can take pride in the fact that I'm American born and raised, and so I can proudly display the U.S. flag. Although my immediate family is Dom., fortunately I can choose to embrace my Spanish descent, which only goes back to my great or great-great grandparents. This descent is very present in my family, both physically and psychologically.

Tony

 

[pedrochemical]

I expect they do not like you either....

 

[waytogo]

My feeling about Dominicans has always been a negative one. Whenever I'm among them, I feel like I'm an outsider, since we're completely different people. I'm currently working in a factory where the majority are Dominican people. I personally can't stand many of them, and only because jobs are really bad right now, I have no choice but to work in that factory if I want to earn something. But I will definitely seek better employment in which people from Dom. Rep. are not the majority. I don't care for the fact that my family has origin from that country. My standards are too high to accept how the majority of them think and act.
I can take pride in the fact that I'm American born and raised, and so I can proudly display the U.S. flag. Although my immediate family is Dom., fortunately I can choose to embrace my Spanish descent, which only goes back to my great or great-great grandparents. This descent is very present in my family, both physically and psychologically.

Tony

Could you give some actual reasons why you are so displeased with working with them. Get it off your chest, don't leave anything out.

 

[Tamborista]

I'm currently working in a factory where the majority are Dominican people.

I personally can't stand many of them, and only because jobs are really bad right now, I have no choice but to work in that factory if I want to earn something.

Tony:

I am so sorry you feel this way, have you considered collecting cans for the deposit, this way you do not have to deal with a boss or any anti social coworkers. Perhaps get your GED and work at HD or Staples?

'obmat

 

[Anastacio]

Thats nice, are you going anywhere with this, want help or just ranting about some Dominican stud steeling you woman?

 

[ohomem_t]

I expect they do not like you either....

Of course they don't like me. I'm a quiet person who just does his work, and many of them tend to be loudmouths, talking all day long. I don't look for trouble with anyone, and among them are those who will try to step on me, because they see me as this unusual, reserved person. I expect that many of them weren't brought up to respect and accept people who aren't like they tend to be, and so when they see this quiet person who isn't gossiping or talking any nonsense, they ignore him or just give him a bad look. I'm generally a friendly person to everyone, but many of these people don't deserve my friendliness.

Tony

 

[pedrochemical]

Are you in the US?
Your description does not fit with my experience of Dominicans.

 

[ohomem_t]

Tony:

I am so sorry you feel this way, have you considered collecting cans for the deposit, this way you do not have to deal with a boss or any anti social coworkers. Perhaps get your GED and work at HD or Staples?

'obmat

I'm only working here because I've been applying to jobs for over a year, and wasn't lucky enough to get a position in a more suitable work environment. I recently worked in a law firm, and the environment was one I can accept because it consisted of people who treated me as I treated them. By the way, what kind of work do you do if you're being condescending to me?

I don't need a GED. I graduated with my regular diploma and went on to receive my Associate in Arts at a two-year college. I'm interested in taking online courses in a field such as graphic design, since I like sketching. I've already started taking courses, and plan on going for an Associate's or Bachelor's in graphic design.

The point is, if I can work in a place where the people, regardless of where they come from, know how to treat me as I treat them, that's the kind of place where I can look forward to working in. But in places where the majority are Dom. people who will think that they are this big thing by the way they behave and dress and by that little attitude that they put out, I honestly can't and will never adjust to such an environment. I can't be somewhere in which the people will look down on me because I'm this plain, wholesome-looking person, to which they will laugh at or take advantage of if I permit them to do so. Don't get me wrong, there are several nice Dom. people who treat me with respect, but these are minimal.
It bothers me that most of these people only tend to think about returning to their home country, and so they don't bother to learn English and advance here.

Tony

 

[ohomem_t]

Are you in the US?
Your description does not fit with my experience of Dominicans.

Yes, I'm currently living on Long Island.

Tony

 

[donP]

Tony,
have you ever been to the Dominican Republic?
What were your experiences here?

Dominicans abroad (Nueba Yols) may not be representative for all Dominicans and I am certain a visit could change your attitude to a more positive one.
You have Dominican roots yourself and not getting along with compatriots happens in every culture.

donP

 

[ohomem_t]

Tony,
have you ever been to the Dominican Republic?
What were your experiences here?

Dominicans abroad (Nueba Yols) may not be representative for all Dominicans and I am certain a visit could change your attitude to a more positive one.
You have Dominican roots yourself and not getting along with compatriots happens in every culture.

donP

Yes, I've traveled several times to D.R. Other than some relatives of mine who are similar to myself, my experience with people over there has been more bad than good. Unfortunately, those good relatives that I enjoyed hanging out with over there had to come to the U.S. due to financial problems. Therefore, I don't have much reason to travel to that place anymore. And the fact that I'm always hearing about the negative things going on in that land, I don't have much interest in returning anytime soon. I know that Dominicans from D.R. are nicer than Dom. Yorks, but both tend to have an attitude and not be very friendly. I would like to travel to Spain someday, since my family has origin from there, and I hear that the Spanish are friendly people. I'm sure I will get more respect from them than the Dom. people, especially since I'm always making an effort to speak Castilian correctly.

Tony

 

[Adrian Bye]

Tony,

Don't pay much attention to the negative posters on this thread. Some of those guys just spend all their time on DR1 putting people down and they're just not worth paying attention to (eg look at tamborista's last 20 posts).

I might be able to help you understand this a bit better since I know both cultures (US/DR) pretty well (and now learning the third culture, Dom Yorks). In my observations most of the dominicans that come to NYC are from the bottom 20% of the DR, so you've got a lot of "tigeraje" and problems there. When they show up in washington heights they bring all that with them, and merge it with lower class US culture/gangs, etc. Thats why you don't like them, and you've found, you can be far more successful by spending time in US culture which is exactly what you should be doing.

It also seems likely that your family from the DR was from that bottom 20% as well. But somehow when they moved over to the US, they realised what was going on and learned to integrate better with the US culture. So your family in the US changed a lot, and got to a much higher social level. Thats why you don't have much fun when you go back to family in the DR - you really don't have much in common with them.

Dominicans in the DR are actually really really fun and great people, but they are nothing like what you're seeing in the US, and probably not like your family back in the DR either. I'd suggest spending some time in Santo Domingo and going to some clubs, malls, etc to meet real Dominicans, because this is where your roots are from. Spain isn't very relevant; IMHO the spanish are 10x more arrogant than dominicans are and i doubt you'll like it much.

And in the US? Get out of wherever you're working as soon as you can, and continue your family's progress upwards. Forget the dominicans in the US, they're not real dominicans, they're Dom Yorks which is a totally different culture -- its not american and its not dominican, they're something separate.

It sounds like your family has made a big jump so far -- and now its time for you to continue progressing so they can be proud of you. The economy is a little rough right now but that will change in time. You can always get more education while you're waiting for things to get better.

I hope this is somehow useful.

Adrian

 

[Africaida]

I suggest you try to reconcile with YOUR people (let it be in the US or the DR), there has to be "good" Dominicans out there (or at least some who share your values).

You can fantasize all you want about Spain (it is indeed a beautiful country), but, the reality is that your connections to Spain are long gone and when you will visit there you will be viewed as just another American tourist.

You owe it to yourself. Living with self-hatred or in denial is not healthy.

 

[ohomem_t]

I suggest you try to reconcile with YOUR people (let it be in the US or the DR), there has to be "good" Dominicans out there (or at least some who share your values).

You can fantasize all you want about Spain (it is indeed a beautiful country), but, the reality is that your connections to Spain are long gone and when you will visit there you will be viewed as just another American tourist.

You owe it to yourself. Living with self-hatred or in denial is not healthy.

My connections to Spain are not long gone, since my great-great grandparents came from there, and their presence can be seen heavily in my family. I never fantasize about reality, I'm always completely realistic. And I consider my people to be fellow Americans, since we both think and act along similar lines. The place where one is brought up is a lot more important than the place where the bloodlines are from. The U.S. has given me life and everything that I have; the D.R. has given me nothing.

Tony

 

[ohomem_t]

Tony,

Don't pay much attention to the negative posters on this thread. Some of those guys just spend all their time on DR1 putting people down and they're just not worth paying attention to (eg look at tamborista's last 20 posts).

I might be able to help you understand this a bit better since I know both cultures (US/DR) pretty well (and now learning the third culture, Dom Yorks). In my observations most of the dominicans that come to NYC are from the bottom 20% of the DR, so you've got a lot of "tigeraje" and problems there. When they show up in washington heights they bring all that with them, and merge it with lower class US culture/gangs, etc. Thats why you don't like them, and you've found, you can be far more successful by spending time in US culture which is exactly what you should be doing.

It also seems likely that your family from the DR was from that bottom 20% as well. But somehow when they moved over to the US, they realised what was going on and learned to integrate better with the US culture. So your family in the US changed a lot, and got to a much higher social level. Thats why you don't have much fun when you go back to family in the DR - you really don't have much in common with them.

Dominicans in the DR are actually really really fun and great people, but they are nothing like what you're seeing in the US, and probably not like your family back in the DR either. I'd suggest spending some time in Santo Domingo and going to some clubs, malls, etc to meet real Dominicans, because this is where your roots are from. Spain isn't very relevant; IMHO the spanish are 10x more arrogant than dominicans are and i doubt you'll like it much.

And in the US? Get out of wherever you're working as soon as you can, and continue your family's progress upwards. Forget the dominicans in the US, they're not real dominicans, they're Dom Yorks which is a totally different culture -- its not american and its not dominican, they're something separate.

It sounds like your family has made a big jump so far -- and now its time for you to continue progressing so they can be proud of you. The economy is a little rough right now but that will change in time. You can always get more education while you're waiting for things to get better.

I hope this is somehow useful.

Adrian

Hey, Adrian, are you of Dominican origin?

Tony

 

[porkman100]

Adrian...yo tambien nesitor aguien ke me ame en berda...pero mucho.
You touched on a little dirty secret, not only apply to dominicans but all immigrants to U.S. only the lower 20% of their society will go to live el sueno del norte.

 

[rfp]

I wouldn't go as far as saying that only the bottom 20 % go but I am not particularly fond of the Dominican community in NY either. It is a little better in Florida but nothing to get too exited about. Most of my friends are white or educated blacks. It aggravates me how people refuse to integrate into regular anglo-saxon culture. Even in the states teenage Dominicans that have been here 2 or 3 generations keep having kids at 14 years of age. I don't know what it is.
I can imagine the atmosphere in an environment like you described. It makes me shudder. I have a nice apartment in one of the nicer areas of the Capital, a newer Nissan Patrol and the ability to make a go of it economically, the thing that worries me more than anything is having to be around Dominicans. I have no problem with your opinion

 

[Africaida]

My connections to Spain are not long gone, since my great-great grandparents came from there, and their presence can be seen heavily in my family. I never fantasize about reality, I'm always completely realistic. And I consider my people to be fellow Americans, since we both think and act along similar lines. The place where one is brought up is a lot more important than the place where the bloodlines are from. The U.S. has given me life and everything that I have; the D.R. has given me nothing.

Tony

thats four generations ago

Yes, your great-great grandparents may be from Spain, but a lot of Dominican and fellow south American could say the same thing. Nothing special....

Don't forget, the DR probably gave your great-great grandparents -and the following generations- hope for a better future . That's why the DR has given you more than you think.

 

[ray718]

ohomem_t and rfp should not have a down view of dominicans based on the few bad apples out of the bunch. Dominicans who have migrated to the US have contributed a great deal to their host country. Many have become business owners, professionals, and have adopted many american ideals. Demonstrated by the "Thank-gibing" celebrated in DR. Its true many will return back to the DR, because after all the US is not their country. Nothing feels like home, except that place where you can lay your hat off and raise your hands up and say "home at last!!!". I am born and raised American, but I feel more at home in the Dominican Republic than the good old USA. I am proud of my Dominican Culture and my American culture, but although I am proud of both of them, I have to accept the few individuals that mar the image of both cultures.

 

[angelfish]

Yo! No mo!

STOP DISSING DR if you do NOT even LIVE HERE! Your ancestry does not provide you with carte blanche. This island is amazing despite the unceasing annoying lunatics. I am a GRINGO and will NEVER RETURN to the USSA. You are SPOUTING OFF because you are treated like trash by your own purported people in amerikkka.

STOP WHINING AND WASTING OUR TIME.

If you have an education, and worked for a lawfirm, go back to being a paralegal. Or get a job in sales. BUT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT DOMINICA BECAUSE YOU ARE A DISILLUSIONED EX-PAT DOMINICAN.

I am sympathetic to your economic plight but NOT YOUR BS.