Cultural Differences between the USA and the DR

[RG84]

Dominicans and the DR in general are loud, and it is essential to not get overly annoyed at the volume of both the music and the voices. Often what we North Americans would mistake for an argument is only animated conversation. What LTSteve says is true about clothing but I see more and more Dominican men dressed in shorts and running shoes/flip-flops, even in banks.
Even attempting to speak Spanish is appreciated and many Dominicans understand some English, especially if spoken clearly.
Eating or drinking in front of people without offering to share is considered rude.

I've notice the Dominicans in Santo Domingo are louder, than the ones in Santiago.
I also notice many dominicans will order a sampler plate with many different items on it and everyone will share.

Onething that would not fly in America is bringing your own drink/bottle to a place that sells drinks. I still can't belive they get away with that.

 

[the gorgon]

I've notice the Dominicans in Santo Domingo are louder, than the ones in Santiago.
I also notice many dominicans will order a sampler plate with many different items on it and everyone will share.

Onething that would not fly in America is bringing your own drink/bottle to a place that sells drinks. I still can't belive they get away with that.

especially in view of the fact that there usually is a sign that says no beverages from the street are allowed. some people do enforce that rule.

 

[texan]

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.

I guess I know my spouses family the best. I am around them all the time when I am here. They are happy people. I just don't walk by and see them. I am with them all the time. I have other friends here besides her family that are happy people.

I am pretty familiar with their financial and social loads. I know it can be a hard life here. I am of course comparing it to the US where I am from. I guess I haven't read enough of your post to know you were dominican or carribean. Compared to the US a lot more people feel like they are entitled in the US. There is a lot of room for advancement in the US but too many people still think they are a victim and blame other people. A lot more people seem to put themselves under stress always trying to live above their means even though they have a good standard of living.

I have traveled to most of latin america, africa, asia, new zealand, lived in the UK and been around a lot of different people. There are other places in the world where the people are friendly and seem happy. I have been to other places were people are not to friendly. Maybe they are just not friendly but happy. I guess I never thought about it that way.

 

[the gorgon]

I guess I know my spouses family the best. I am around them all the time when I am here. They are happy people. I just don't walk by and see them. I am with them all the time. I have other friends here besides her family that are happy people.

I am pretty familiar with their financial and social loads. I know it can be a hard life here. I am of course comparing it to the US where I am from. I guess I haven't read enough of your post to know you were dominican or carribean. Compared to the US a lot more people feel like they are entitled in the US. There is a lot of room for advancement in the US but too many people still think they are a victim and blame other people. A lot more people seem to put themselves under stress always trying to live above their means even though they have a good standard of living.

I have traveled to most of latin america, africa, asia, new zealand, lived in the UK and been around a lot of different people. There are other places in the world where the people are friendly and seem happy. I have been to other places were people are not to friendly. Maybe they are just not friendly but happy. I guess I never thought about it that way.

the laudable thing is that you do think about it. my housekeeper showed up on Sunday with her usual beaming smile, did her chores, and headed home. a buddy brought me some mangoes later in the day, and i ran by her house to ask her to make me some of her famous mango juice. she was in bed, blanket to her neck, with a high fever. she never let on that she was sick while she was at my place. she was not happy, but i guess she felt no point in inflicting her misery upon me. that is the way we roll in this part of the world.

 

[bob saunders]

I guess I know my spouses family the best. I am around them all the time when I am here. They are happy people. I just don't walk by and see them. I am with them all the time. I have other friends here besides her family that are happy people.

I am pretty familiar with their financial and social loads. I know it can be a hard life here. I am of course comparing it to the US where I am from. I guess I haven't read enough of your post to know you were dominican or carribean. Compared to the US a lot more people feel like they are entitled in the US. There is a lot of room for advancement in the US but too many people still think they are a victim and blame other people. A lot more people seem to put themselves under stress always trying to live above their means even though they have a good standard of living.

I have traveled to most of latin america, africa, asia, new zealand, lived in the UK and been around a lot of different people. There are other places in the world where the people are friendly and seem happy. I have been to other places were people are not to friendly. Maybe they are just not friendly but happy. I guess I never thought about it that way.

The Gorgon is Jamaican/American. People aren't happy being poor but many have the attitude that what they have is thanks to God, and if God wanted them to be rich it would be so. Obviously more complicated and many cultural nuances involved but that's the jist of it.

 

[texan]

the laudable thing is that you do think about it. my housekeeper showed up on Sunday with her usual beaming smile, did her chores, and headed home. a buddy brought me some mangoes later in the day, and i ran by her house to ask her to make me some of her famous mango juice. she was in bed, blanket to her neck, with a high fever. she never let on that she was sick while she was at my place. she was not happy, but i guess she felt no point in inflicting her misery upon me. that is the way we roll in this part of the world.

These are people I live with. You think I don't hear if about it if one of them is sick or not feeling well. These are people I am around all the time.

 

[the gorgon]

These are people I live with. You think I don't hear if about it if one of them is sick or not feeling well. These are people I am around all the time.

i know you understand what i refer to. some people just do not.

 

[texan]

The Gorgon is Jamaican/American. People aren't happy being poor but many have the attitude that what they have is thanks to God, and if God wanted them to be rich it would be so. Obviously more complicated and many cultural nuances involved but that's the jist of it.

I know most people would enjoy more money and an easier way of life. I am not saying they are happy about being poor. I still think they are generally happy people.

 

[texan]

i know you understand what i refer to. some people just do not.

I don't live here full time and even if I move here I will always be a gringo. I would always be a foreigner. But I am not some foreigner that came here for a short vacation and only saw people here for a short time.

 

[the gorgon]

I don't live here full time and even if I move here I will always be a gringo. I would always be a foreigner. But I am not some foreigner that came here for a short vacation and only saw people here for a short time.

that is exactly my point. in your short time, you have made the spiritual adjustments. or, maybe, you already had them built into the apparatus of your soul.. some guys have lived here for decades, and are still the same as they were the first day they got off the plane.

 

[texan]

that is exactly my point. in your short time, you have made the spiritual adjustments. or, maybe, you already had them built into the apparatus of your soul.. some guys have lived here for decades, and are still the same as they were the first day they got off the plane.

I am still the same person. I am not understanding what you are saying.

 

[Criss Colon]

The "Spanish" put the DR under their "Patron Culture".
Poor Dominicans work, the "Ricos" provided "Food & Shelter".
Pretty much still the same system.
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[tommeyers]

I've notice the Dominicans in Santo Domingo are louder, than the ones in Santiago.
I also notice many dominicans will order a sampler plate with many different items on it and everyone will share.

Onething that would not fly in America is bringing your own drink/bottle to a place that sells drinks. I still can't belive they get away with that.

My neighbors in STI must be from SD.

 

[the gorgon]

I am still the same person. I am not understanding what you are saying.

what i am saying is that it is not difficult for you to make the transition, because you have the ability to understand the cultural nuances around you. others spend decades in a fog, never understanding the first thing about the culture they live in.

 

[texan]

what i am saying is that it is not difficult for you to make the transition, because you have the ability to understand the cultural nuances around you. others spend decades in a fog, never understanding the first thing about the culture they live in.

Ok I understand what you are saying.

 

[the gorgon]

Ok I understand what you are saying.

simple instance; day before yesterday i was sitting on the POP malecon with two of my black friends, and this guy walked towards our table, making his way to the tables behind us. we could detect, immediately, that he did not know what to do. should he say hello, or shouldn't he? we almost burst out laughing when he arrived at the Solomonic Solution; he walked past, then waved is hand around in some sort of salutation, from behind. a Dominican would simply have said "hola", and that would have been that.

 

[SANTIAGO ONE]

The most apparent cultural difference to me is with the parent(s) here and their children. From what I see they don't 'push' the child to be self sufficient well into the time when they should be being taught self sufficiency.....

 

[Harleysrock]

Compared to the US a lot more people feel like they are entitled in the US. There is a lot of room for advancement in the US but too many people still think they are a victim and blame other people. A lot more people seem to put themselves under stress always trying to live above their means even though they have a good standard of living.

I find A LOT of people feel entitled here as well, I love the people who get angry and hit my car when I won't give them money for just standing there or the people you give things to with no thank you and ask for more 2 seconds later. The thank you thing could be a cultural difference as well?

 

[Criss Colon]

"Gorgon" you guys were over analyzing the encounter.
He didn't even see you.
Stop "Looking" for proof of your delusions.
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[Celt202]

Taxi Drivers responding to a call in residential neighborhoods drive down the street blowing the horn unable or unwilling to simply read street numbers and figure it out quickly.