I have been living in the Dominican Republic for a little over two years now, and I have absorbed numerous fun facts about this island. I have interacted with so many people that have visited the island for a week and mentioned frustrating aspects of the culture like people jamming to loud music at colmados (little corner stores), roosters crowing at early hours of the morning, or the way that they cannot understand Dominican Spanish.
As I have talked through these differences with other foreigners, I have realized that the parts that may seem weird or frustrating to some are the things that I have grown to love so much. Yes, there are various things that make me want to rip my hair out sometimes (like being forced to free up my entire afternoon because the repairman has not shown for four plus hours). BUT I have grown so much by learning alongside my Dominican brothers and sisters.
So without further ado, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite/fun facts about the island:
- The spoken language is Spanish, but not the kind of Spanish you study in High School. When I came on one week trips, I felt frustrated with my Spanish because what I was hearing was way different than what I had learned. Dominicans speak a lot of slang and tend to cut off words or drop their “s.” After being fully immersed in the culture and marrying a Dominican, I understand Dominican Spanish better than any other dialects.
- I love driving here more than in the United States. Now for the Americans who have visited and are reading this- yes, you read that correctly. For foreigners, the driving seems wild and so unorganized. When it comes to driving in the Dominican Republic, there are not many rules, and your horn does all the talking. HOWEVER, people pay much better attention on the road here than where I come from in the states.
- Our traditional dish is called “la bandera de dominicana,” (this translates to, “the Dominican flag”) and boy oh boy is it DELICIOUS. This platter consists of rice, beans, chicken or beef, and sometimes a side salad or fresh fruits. So before I moved here, I was not a fan of rice. But this is now one of my favorite meals. I am working on nailing my beans to taste more and more like traditional Dominican beans. It is a work in progress, but I get closer every day.
- Dominicans LOVE their ketchup and mayo. On tacos, basic sandwiches, the fries, you name it. When you order tacos from a food truck, you best believe that you will receive them with ketchup and mayo. I was definitely reluctant to have my tacos drowned with these two sauces, but they sure have grown on me. AND the majority of Dominicans call a chicken sandwich a hamburger (like my husband and all of his friends).
- The people are unhurried and intentional. You can show up late to church, a party, or a wedding and not be looked down upon. When you are sitting at a party and someone enters the room, they will greet every individual in the room with a hug or hand shake. I love this unrushed, people over time lifestyle.
- When you ask someone how they are doing, you can guarantee their response will be, “Estoy bien gracias a Dios.” This translates to, “I am good thanks to God.” When you express to a friend that you are eager for your coffee date with them, they will respond with, “Yo tambien Dios mediante.” This translates to, “Me too God willing.”
- Lizards are your friends. Do not be alarmed if you encounter a lizard chilling on your wall. He is there to eat the cockroaches.
- Back to la comida — I am a foodie. The island is full of fresh fruits and yummy starches similar to potatoes. We have yuca, plantains, yautia, batata, and so many more. Dominicans love to fry foods such as: eggplant, plantains (called tostones), batata, etc. Some of my favorite Dominican foods include: pastelon, habichuela con dulce, yaroa, sancocho, and cachapa (which is actually Venezuelan, but still a fav).
- Power and water outages are the norm, and you just have to roll with it. Water does not always arrive at the side of the city where we live. Therefore our entire complex lives off of cisterns, and we only receive water twice a day (morning and night). Oh, and also hot water is rare.
- Bachata and merengue are common dances here. You can catch people breaking out into dance pretty much anywhere. I think that dancing/having rhythm is in Dominican blood. I am working on my bachata. My husband is an incredible dancer who is so patient with me as I am a gringa who cannot move her hips the same as a Dominican. But we are getting there.
- Public transportation is huge here. Cars are imported; therefore, very expensive. A public car is called a concho. We are currently car-less, and so I have been learning the routes of conchos as they are an affordable option to get from point A to point B.
- Dominicans get fancy when they go out (including the grocery store). Despite the hot climate, a typical outfit consists of jeans and a nice shirt.
- Dominicans sometimes use one word to mean four words. A prime example is the word “vaina.” Here is a sentence, “manin, paseme la vaina que esta encima de la vaina.” To sum it up, vaina pretty much means, “thing.”
There are so many more things that I would love to write about, but I would keep writing for days. It is hard to effectively share this beautiful place with those who have not experienced it first hand. So you must come visit to fully take in the gorgeous creation, grasp the language, inhale the amazing food, and encounter the sweet people.
I love this island. I love these people. I love this culture. There is no other place that I would rather be.
Journey to Dominican 