Cultural Differences between the USA and the DR

[bronzeallspice]

The biggest difference that bothers us the most is the lack of privacy at our home. Since many Dominicans live with MANY family members they don't seem to understand alone time, privacy or personal space etc... People just stop by all the time and expect us to stop what we are doing to talk to them. They don't just go away when I don't answer they go to find my maid who lives near by and get her to tell us they are there or they just stand at the gate and yell our names.

(We don't live in a gated community)

I find Dominicans MUCH more helpful if your car breaks down or sh*t hits the fan and you need any help, this is a HUGE difference from NA.

Yes, especially early in the morning (7:30) knocking on the door and if you do not answer they
think that you do not want to be bothered with them.I really don't, not at that time. They just do not understand that it's too early for company.

Even though I am Dominican I had to tell them not to knock on my door before 10 am.:tired:

Harley, just let them know that you need your privacy. They will understand. If you
don't they will continue as they believe you are okay with it.

 

[Criss Colon]

Ask to borrow some money, THEN they will stop bothering you!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
OR, Better Yet, Lend them 500 pesos, I know you will never see them again then!!!!!!!

 

[hard times doug]

I know he is banned, but I would love to hear from Hernandez and his hundreds of cultural differences.

 

[Contango]

Another cultural difference is the Love of the plastic chair.. Doms love plastic chairs.. they are everywhere.. :smoke:

 

[Matilda]

The biggest difference that bothers us the most is the lack of privacy at our home. Since many Dominicans live with MANY family members they don't seem to understand alone time, privacy or personal space etc... People just stop by all the time and expect us to stop what we are doing to talk to them. They don't just go away when I don't answer they go to find my maid who lives near by and get her to tell us they are there or they just stand at the gate and yell our names.

(We don't live in a gated community)

I find Dominicans MUCH more helpful if your car breaks down or sh*t hits the fan and you need any help, this is a HUGE difference from NA.

You are lucky they shout from the gate. Here they just walk in!

Mat

 

[Conchman]

Basically, what should be difficult, is easy, and what should be easy, is difficult.

 

[hard times doug]

Do not know if this is a cultural difference but do you ever notice that Dominicans never wrap their food before placing it in either the fridge or freezer. No aluminum foil, plastic ziplock bags or tupperware. They just leave it in the pot or whatever it was prepared in and toss it in.

 

[bob saunders]

Do not know if this is a cultural difference but do you ever notice that Dominicans never wrap their food before placing it in either the fridge or freezer. No aluminum foil, plastic ziplock bags or tupperware. They just leave it in the pot or whatever it was prepared in and toss it in.

Actually my mother in law put everything in covered containers.

 

[Harleysrock]

You are lucky they shout from the gate. Here they just walk in!

Mat

I nipped that in the bud pretty fast by building a 12 foot wall and locking them out! I was not happy to come home to the whole village sitting on my deck having a party while the pool and fence were being built. That was the first time my wife ever saw me yell at people!

 

[beastwood]

Another cultural difference is the Love of the plastic chair.. Doms love plastic chairs.. they are everywhere.. :smoke:

They go well with the small plastic cups...

 

[beastwood]

Dominicans are very family oriented and children are very protected.

Not so sure about children being very protected. In comparison the the 1st world, marriages without paper, are as common as
legal ones. And there are men abandoning their responsibilities to provide for their children to epidemic degrees in the DR.
In fact even I can even point out young (and not so young mothers) whom leave support and rearing to the child's abuela and
Tia ... Lending Credence to the saying that it does indeed take a village . So family is important here...extended family.
There are many fantastic parents in the DR...but the number of parents who will find pesos and time for dominoes and disco
later next month while their kids await a couple bucks for cloths and school supplies, is astounding!

 

[caribeman]

One big difference is work ethic... and often the lack there of.

Forget a schedule. If you want someone there at 8 they will be there probably at 8 30...and they will try to leave a half hour early. What we would not find acceptable like taking something from work will be justified as borrowed or unused etc.. in some way and therefore OK.

The concept of calling someone in advance or letting them know you are not coming to an appointment is non existent here.

You can wait days for someone to show - if ever.

The frustration - if you are engaged in any level of business - managing one especially will stomp on your last good nerve.

The two cultures think very differently in some good and not so good ways.

 

[bob saunders]

One big difference is work ethic... and often the lack there of.

Forget a schedule. If you want someone there at 8 they will be there probably at 8 30...and they will try to leave a half hour early. What we would not find acceptable like taking something from work will be justified as borrowed or unused etc.. in some way and therefore OK.

The concept of calling someone in advance or letting them know you are not coming to an appointment is non existent here.

You can wait days for someone to show - if ever.

The frustration - if you are engaged in any level of business - managing one especially will stomp on your last good nerve.

The two cultures think very differently in some good and not so good ways.

Well I've observed that many Dominicans put in long hard days for little money. I'm up at 0530 every week day and there are many people off to work by six and they are returning home around 7 pm. The key with Dominican workers is the same with contractors everywhere. Never pay up front, a little to start the job, enough to keep them working , then the rest when the job is completely done.

 

[bob saunders]

THe first lady I knew here in the DR gave me that shyt about men always wear long pants and never T-Shirts. So I dragged her to a street corner and we counted. over 50% of men had either shorts or a T-Shirt. So don't believe anything you read here.I never wear T-Shirts, but hardly ever wear long pants.
Der Fish

I'm the opposite , I almost always wear long pants and collared short sleeve shirts. Military habit.

 

[drescape24]

Basically, what should be difficult, is easy, and what should be easy, is difficult.<br/>
This sums it up perfectly for me!

 

[drescape24]

Originally Posted by Matilda<br />
You are lucky they shout from the gate. Here they just walk in!<br />
<br />
Mat

<br />
<br />
I nipped that in the bud pretty fast by building a 12 foot wall and locking them out! I was not happy to come home to the whole village sitting on my deck having a party while the pool and fence were being built. That was the first time my wife ever saw me yell at people!<br/

I would pay to have seen that!
That's why I have to live in a closed community. I couldn't hand the intrusions.

 

[texan]

Just like other places I think some of it depends if they are from a small town, big city or the country side. I would say overall they are pretty easy going. I am surprised how happy some of them seem with a low paying job and almost no chance of improvement.

 

[pelaut]

One major difference is that the Doms EXPECT their leaders to be crooks, Americans pretend they are not.

 

[Celt202]

Nice Touch

Another cultural difference is the Love of the plastic chair.. Doms love plastic chairs.. they are everywhere.. :smoke:

Is that the famous PRD chair throwing meeting?

 

[the gorgon]

Just like other places I think some of it depends if they are from a small town, big city or the country side. I would say overall they are pretty easy going. I am surprised how happy some of them seem with a low paying job and almost no chance of improvement.

i am always bemused when some foreigner blurts out the tired old statement 'they look so happy". what does that mean? because they smile? that is a caribbean thing. people do not walk around with a glare on their faces. we are very sociable people , and even though we are hit by the agonies of life, we do not get a military weapon and kill 20 bystanders. i have said it quite often that one of the customs that foreigners have to attempt to adapt is appearing to be friendly. when a Dominican walks by you while you are eating, he says 'buen provecho", which means something like "enjoy your meal". when he sees you sitting at a table, he says hello. gringo walks by with a scowl. the fact that Dominicans appear pleasant does not mean that they are happy. they are carrying heavy financial and social loads, and barely make it through the day. they just don't take it out on everybody they encounter.