Typical Interaction With A Dominican

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
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I was messaging with a Dominicana that works at a high end Villa. New her from my time in the DR. First she was complaining that her pay got cut and she is working more. She was making about 15,000 pesos a month - let's say about $350 US/ month. So I tell her I'm thinking of having some people visit my place and I may want someone there to serve drinks for them so I ask how much would it be and what do they pay for a girl at the Villas. She doesn't reply, so whatever. I guess she needed a new game plan as she would just tell me how little she made and maybe she thought I would just give her money - who knows, this is the Dominican intellect I'm dealing with. So 3 weeks later I get a message back saying they get paid per hour (unspecified amount) plus 10% of the rental.
Let's get back to her original salary which is 15K pesos a month which at best would work out to at best 750 pesos a day (let's say work 20 days a month) or $17 a day.
Based on what they charge at the Villa - at least $4K/day she is asking for at least $400 USD per day (don't forget the hourly rate she needs) or about 25 times more than she would really earn and that is being very conservative. I'm guessing it is closer to 100 times what she would really make.
These people are just so ridiculous. Maybe if she wanted to push it she could ask for twice as much, but no, they ask for 100 times as much. It is just impossible to deal with these people. There is just no starting point for doing business in any type of honest way. I actually thought this one might be a bit different. Educated (to the point a Dominican can be), interaction with foreigners, looking to achieve in her career, but still the Dominican always comes out.
 

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
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So 3 weeks later I get a message back saying they get paid per hour (unspecified amount) plus 10% of the rental. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=Trying to figure this out. If she doesn't specify the amount how can you consider it is maybe 100 times too high? 10% of the rental, what rental? the price the person is paying for their apartment? I can get you a gal who serves drinks for 500 pesos an 8 hour shift in the POP area.

This is the point. She should have just come back with asking for 500 pesos or maybe even 1000 pesos, but instead she had to strategize for 3 weeks on how to reply and comes back with something obscure of percentage of rentals plus an unspecified hourly rate. If I could trust her maybe I would pay her a little more to supervise a couple of girls, but with this response that is done. I've never heard anywhere of someone giving a percentage of rental for a job like this, but I can only imagine the conversations she had to come up with that. Thanks for the reference, but I have someone watching my affairs and it will be on him if I need something, I just was giving this person a chance to show some good faith.
 

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
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You should have had a Dominican friend negotiate with her for the pricing. There is a Gringo Price and a Dominican Price...guess which one is CHEAPER?

Not the point. Was giving this person a chance to be honest. I can get the Dominican rate elsewhere and I don't need this person. This was a general future conversation for me to consider using her. She showed glimmers of honesty before, but this just killed all future dealings.
 

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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but this just killed all future dealings.

That is the only appropriate response! I wouldn't give up on honest dealings with all Dominicans, but we have to be honest in saying that this situation is not unusual or surprising.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
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If you give the average Dominican the chance to do the right thing, be honest or even remotely reasonable then you will always end up let down. I truely believe these people have no concept of the real meaning of respect, morality, honesty, they are a difficult people to live among. Not all, but a fukcing huge majority are absolute wasters in life and couldn't last 2 seconds anywhere else amongst a respectable society.
I've given up with them, odds against lotto on who your dealing with, and I can count good experiences over 10 years on 1 hand.
 
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VJS

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Sep 19, 2010
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You can't ask an average Dominican an open-ended question, especially where math or directions are involved, and expect an intelligent response. No sense of scale or proportion whatsoever. Multiple choice only, or better yet, figure the answer yourself, and tell them.

I don't really see the girl as dishonest in this case, - more like greedy and stupid. She has no point of reference as to what OP considers a fair wage, - perhaps she was reading up on what hostesses in Monaco make and decided she is in the same market.
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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Not the point. Was giving this person a chance to be honest. I can get the Dominican rate elsewhere and I don't need this person. This was a general future conversation for me to consider using her. She showed glimmers of honesty before, but this just killed all future dealings.

I would take the same approach with a small twist. I say no thanks and then mention I have another option that is much more reasonable.
They usually come back with a price match. Then I tell them if that would have been their original price I would have gladly hired them. However I now know that they will try and over charge me at any chance and I prefer to deal with people that quote me an honest price on first request.

Let them realize they screwed up. May not make a difference but at least I tried.
 

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
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I would take the same approach with a small twist. I say no thanks and then mention I have another option that is much more reasonable.
They usually come back with a price match. Then I tell them if that would have been their original price I would have gladly hired them. However I now know that they will try and over charge me at any chance and I prefer to deal with people that quote me an honest price on first request.

Let them realize they screwed up. May not make a difference but at least I tried.

Thought about that, but I think it is better to just leave it then start a little war. Did notice on a Facebook post that this girl went out for a nice night yesterday. Maybe she is already spending her windfall.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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When a neighbor offered to wash my clothes as I was living alone at the time I asked her how much. She said "cinco" I said it is worth more than 5 meaning pesos since 5 hundred isn't said with the word cinco. She said "Siete mil entonces." I laughed and walked away.

it never fails. the rank and file have less than zero concept of being reasonable, and just. had you been a Dominican, she would have said 500 pesos, because no Dominican would pay her more, and she knows it. you are a gringo, and it is, in their minds, their national duty to rob you. instead of giving you a fair price, and trying to establish a steady gig, she wants a one time killing.

you live in a fatalist society here. they don?t believe in tomorrow, except when it comes to paying back debts and getting a job done.
 
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yacht chef

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Sep 13, 2009
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If she bought the sopa and ironed the shirts and put the sheats back on the bed 500 is not bad.
 

davetuna

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Jun 19, 2012
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Cabarete, Dominican Republic
When a neighbor offered to wash my clothes as I was living alone at the time I asked her how much. She said "cinco" I said it is worth more than 5 meaning pesos since 5 hundred isn't said with the word cinco. She said "Siete mil entonces." I laughed and walked away.

it is also an illustration maybe of how much money some people think you have.....which is why it makes good sense to know your price before you ask the question........
 

wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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Don't tar all with the same brush.

I have a wonderful lady who comes weekly to do the apartment and the laundry. She works hard and is totally honest.
I pay her what we originally agreed and bought her an iron which she can keep and use for other jobs.

They do exist but I agree, finding someone like that is not easy.

My carpenter/painter was in the usual category. Started off at a reasonable rate for a reasonable job then continued to increase his
demands and didn't show up half the time until I had to find someone else to finish the work.
 

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
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Don't tar all with the same brush.

I have a wonderful lady who comes weekly to do the apartment and the laundry. She works hard and is totally honest.
I pay her what we originally agreed and bought her an iron which she can keep and use for other jobs.

They do exist but I agree, finding someone like that is not easy.

My carpenter/painter was in the usual category. Started off at a reasonable rate for a reasonable job then continued to increase his
demands and didn't show up half the time until I had to find someone else to finish the work.

Your story is not plausible. A Dominican that doesn't steal. Does she enjoy playing with your pet flying pig.
 

drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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I suggest to the OP ,next time give her a take it or leave it price with clear cut instructions. She will still screw up the instructions, but at least you paid your price.
I do give you some credit for trying. I always try to remember that locals will mistake kindness for weakness. Treat them with respect, but don't expect them to do what we would consider the correct thing
 

R3cycle

Member
Sep 20, 2013
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If you give the average Dominican the chance to do the right thing, be honest or even remotely reasonable then you will always end up let down. I truely believe these people have no concept of the real meaning of respect, morality, honesty, they are a difficult people to live among. Not all, but a fukcing huge majority are absolute wasters in life and couldn't last 2 seconds anywhere else amongst a respectable society.
I've given up with them, odds against lotto on who your dealing with, and I can count good experiences over 10 years on 1 hand.

my experience of dominican republic (10 years) says that you are absolutely right, you have read my mind
 
Apr 7, 2014
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When a neighbor offered to wash my clothes as I was living alone at the time I asked her how much. She said "cinco" I said it is worth more than 5 meaning pesos since 5 hundred isn't said with the word cinco. She said "Siete mil entonces." I laughed and walked away.

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