Looking For A Local Family to Stay With on Semana Santa

[Brookelemongotsoul]

Okay okay...this may not be PC---but wouldn't it be really cool to see how others spend Easter? We will be in
Bavaro from April 3rd-13th and would love---that first weekend to experience some real traditional Semana Santa familia's celebrating.

Do they beat their wives? Maybe the wives beat the husbands? Do the kids really eat the sweet beans? Or do they feed them to the dog.....
Im kidding of course....just wanted to experience a real Dominican holiday...Im sure it is beautiful and peaceful and has lots of food involved..

Any suggestions?

If a family will adopt us, we will help cook and clean (we have our own place...we don't need to stay with you) haha...Im being serious here people......serious......I can bring some American traditions to add to the day....
(egg hiding with $$ in it for the kids and hide the cervezas for the adults.....that's what we do. Keepin it classy....

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Good luck. Middle and upper class Doms have no interest in sharing their space with gringo tourists. The rest of them live in hovels that your local planning dept. would condemn in an instant to erect a plastic play structure. Semi solid walls, with a few corrugated iron sheets that constitute a roof. Locals already have an extended family on site and any extra room is taken up by livestock they wish to protect at night.

The cultural experience you are seeking is not readily available here. Anyone offering such will be a part of the "tourist industry" and will expect to be paid for their time and effort. If you don't live here you and your family will probably get sick from the water used to wash the glasses or the plates.

As you have or will read on DR1, there is a distinct difference in general attitude here. Many do not share our values because they can only dream of being in a situation to do so. Many times, short term gains trump any thought of repercussions or the interests and the welfare of others. It is unwise to assume that someone you do not know will be inclined to be hospitable and of honorable intent. Getting into a situation where you give up all control is a recipe for disaster.

There are lots of good people here, you just can't find them on the internet because they don't have a website. You must always remember that the DR is an "upper" third world country. It's citizens are not like the people in the state/province next door. I don't think you would seek out a random family to share Easter with in Camden New Jersey, you should not have the inclination to attempt the same here.

 

[Harleysrock]

Lots of drinking, including babies, some food, loud music and loud taking, it's nothing exciting trust me!
Just enjoy your vacation this is not something that would be wise to look into when here for such a short amount of time, not knowing anyone.

Edit: Well if you really want to do this come to my barrio and I will throw you in with some families lol. I live on the NC.

 

[MikeFisher]

come on. would the Flodders welcome a DR Tourist Family to their home, and for a Holiday like Easter Weekend, complete strangers? would you do such by looking on the internet for foreigners to visit your home over easter weekend for free to learn about your country's culture?
i don't think such would be part of dominican or american culture.
to meet dominican people on part of their easter celebrations, as a foreigner, visit one of the public beaches where people gather all easter week long, hide some beers and $$$ there and you sure will find some new friends to share, lol.

Mike

 

[mofongoloco]

CdnGringo, this is one of the best posts I've read. Deserves "Hillbilly's rules for dating a Dominican" status.

And I have learned a new phrase...upper third world. A accurate description.

 

[Chirimoya]

What they said

 

[william webster]

before the beach changed at Playa Grande, families came and pitched tents on the beach for the weekend - or longer.

BBQ's , music, Bano in bosque......

as mentioned - just hit the beach, you'll be in the middle of it

 

[Tamborista]

before the beach changed at Playa Grande, families came and pitched tents on the beach for the weekend - or longer.

BBQ's , music, Bano in bosque......

as mentioned - just hit the beach, you'll be in the middle of it

Websta, don't you have an extra three bedroom Pool House?

 

[drSix]

HA! I'm adopting a Dominican Family for Samana Santa! My gardener/maintenance man/gringo tax advisor/drinking buddy is bringing the kids and wife. He says we are familia now! (Now that we are family, does that mean he will steal more from me, or less?)

Anywho, in exchange for my hospitality I get an entire bucket of his wife's habichuelas con dulce! Yum...

To OP: Just walk into the Campo with a couple thousand pesos, you'll have plenty of fren's to celebrate DR style with.

 

[pauleast]

Get drunk and wrap your car around a tree, you will have the authentic Dominican Semana experience.
I head to Miami that week.

 

[KateP]

Wouldn't recommend hiding the cerveza, it would be too hot to drink once found. BIG no-no!

 

[MikeFisher]

Wouldn't recommend hiding the cerveza, it would be too hot to drink once found. BIG no-no!

Kate,
i hide 'em year around in the cooler, so i have no troubles finding them when needed and they are always found cold.

Mike

 

[dv8]

1. get very drunk.
2. get your kids drunk.
3. drive a car or swim (whichever is applicable with more ease) until you become COE statistics and i write a thread about you.

 

[the gorgon]

Okay okay...this may not be PC---but wouldn't it be really cool to see how others spend Easter? We will be in
Bavaro from April 3rd-13th and would love---that first weekend to experience some real traditional Semana Santa familia's celebrating.

Do they beat their wives? Maybe the wives beat the husbands? Do the kids really eat the sweet beans? Or do they feed them to the dog.....
Im kidding of course....just wanted to experience a real Dominican holiday...Im sure it is beautiful and peaceful and has lots of food involved..

Any suggestions?

If a family will adopt us, we will help cook and clean (we have our own place...we don't need to stay with you) haha...Im being serious here people......serious......I can bring some American traditions to add to the day....
(egg hiding with $$ in it for the kids and hide the cervezas for the adults.....that's what we do. Keepin it classy....

actually, the dog feeds the sweet beans to the kids.

 

[the gorgon]

1. get very drunk.
2. get your kids drunk.
3. drive a car or swim (whichever is applicable with more ease) until you become COE statistics and i write a thread about you.

Detras del Rumor style!!

 

[the gorgon]

Good luck. Middle and upper class Doms have no interest in sharing their space with gringo tourists. The rest of them live in hovels that your local planning dept. would condemn in an instant to erect a plastic play structure. Semi solid walls, with a few corrugated iron sheets that constitute a roof. Locals already have an extended family on site and any extra room is taken up by livestock they wish to protect at night.

The cultural experience you are seeking is not readily available here. Anyone offering such will be a part of the "tourist industry" and will expect to be paid for their time and effort. If you don't live here you and your family will probably get sick from the water used to wash the glasses or the plates.

As you have or will read on DR1, there is a distinct difference in general attitude here. Many do not share our values because they can only dream of being in a situation to do so. Many times, short term gains trump any thought of repercussions or the interests and the welfare of others. It is unwise to assume that someone you do not know will be inclined to be hospitable and of honorable intent. Getting into a situation where you give up all control is a recipe for disaster.

There are lots of good people here, you just can't find them on the internet because they don't have a website. You must always remember that the DR is an "upper" third world country. It's citizens are not like the people in the state/province next door. I don't think you would seek out a random family to share Easter with in Camden New Jersey, you should not have the inclination to attempt the same here.

good advice, dude. i go to birthday parties and bring a gift, and maybe some goodies. i spend an hour, as a show of good protocol. then i bid adieu, with some story of a prior commitment. anybody trying to be a hero by spending a weekend with a family they don?t even know is more than an adventurer. more like a daredevil.

 

[DRDone]

1. get very drunk.
2. get your kids drunk.
3. drive a car or swim (whichever is applicable with more ease) until you become COE statistics and i write a thread about you.

To the OP, take this one to heart. It is quite dangerous at that time of year and many deaths on the road. This tends to be a time when the gringos should disappear and let the Dominicans have their holy time. Don't become another DV8 thread.
The more you know ....

 

[CristoRey]

Cdn_Gringo nailed it in post #2.
Great response.

 

[CristoRey]

"haha...Im being serious here people......serious......I can bring some American traditions to add to the day....
(egg hiding with $$ in it for the kids and hide the cervezas for the adults.....that's what we do. Keepin it classy...."

I think it would end up being more like eggs with money for the adults and cervezas for the kids.

 

[curlando]

Just come get drunk and bring a big pot of spaghetti to the beach for the family to eat.
When I plan activities to do during my stay in DR; my plans never work out as planned. I never plan activities to far ahead. I visit friends in different cities and see what they have planned and usually it's drinking a few beers and eating a home cooked meal. If you are staying at a resort they will have activities and tours to keep you and the family busy.