Saving Jeff...Long Post warning

Dear jeff: If you have five or six thousand dollars, three months to stretch out and relax a bit, a desire to learn the language and the gumption needed to do this, come on down. Word!

The Dominican Culture embraces all kinds, and it saves the harshest crtiticisms for its own people. I am going to presume to know that you are a succesful, professional person, perhaps a little stressed by recent events, both economic and political. You are what would normally be called a "good" person. Perhaps you will one day send your son or daughter to Morehouse or Spellman College. And you are looking to enjoy your time here.

Don't sweat it. Santo Domingo-although I dislike its traffic, the heat, the government offices i have to visit-is a very (and i mean very) interesting place. Rich history, incredible variety of eateries, bars, bistros, plenty to fill days and days of your time. When I mentioned below about going to Montecristo Cafe and meeting people, this is what I had in mind.

Most of us old foggies on this board are tired of seeing young guys come down here, 'hook' up with $20 girls from Boca Chica, do the "sights" and say they had a good time in Santo Domingo.

I would hope that you might meet a few nice men and women that are perhaps you pars on a social/economic basis, strike up friendships, get introduced to a wider circle of people and really, really get to know Santo Domingo. For example, you could go to the Dominican-American Bi-Cultural Center for language classes. They have a broad range of social activities, and it is a neat place to meet people. ( DID I say "neat"???)

As for Guatemala? No way! And I am part Guatemalan!! Once out of the city you are really in the boonies...

A final word about "race". In the DR "race" doesn't count for much. If you have oriental type eyes, you are a "chino". If you are of dark complextion, you are "moreno" or "negro" (pronounced neh-gro NOT nee-gro). If you are in between, you are "indio".
If you are sort of plump, with a general look of being well off, you will be called "rubio" without much attention to skin tones!

One of my earliest friends was introduced to me as "Negro". As our friendship progressed, I learned that his father had baptized him "Black", knowing that it meant "negro" the color. He was the darkest of his father's children. His brothers and sisters called him "Negro". As time went on, this young man went to the university, got his degree, went to graduate school and got his degree and finally got his Ph.D. Now he is called "Blas"
rather than Black, but his family and friends still call him "Negro". He moves in the highest circles of Dominican society and neither his nickname nor his 'real' name have hindered him in any way....

Take it easy Jeff, there aren't many "code" words here, certainly nothing like Jackson or Johannesburg.

HB

They don't call me rubio......they call me gordo....should I take offense? LOL
Seriously HB, that was a very well written and thought out post that has a lot of information for many people.
And yes, Santo Domingo is so terribly rich in history but you must search it out. Unfortunately many of the locals just take it for granted.
BTW: Wasn't Trujillo's brother named "Negro" also or was that a nick name?

HB-

Thanks for your helpful and informative words. While my children, once they exist, will be more likely to go to Harvard or Welllesley, you were not too far off track. In fact, I do know a few upper-class Dominicans. But, if I do make it down there,I dont intend to spend too much time with them. I cant imagine that their Blond Hair and Blue Eyes are exactly representative of Dominican culture. I am interested in Black Dominican culture, especially food, music and religion. I love merengue and bachata. Im also a history buff who could spend years just walking in the Zona Colonial. Finally, I want to answer for myself a question which may only be of interest to me...why is their no Domincan literature to speak of? Again, thanks for your concern and helpful words. Perhaps we'll share some rum and cigars in the year ahead. Lets invite that scrappy retired Neurologist too!!

If you are referring to me.........it is UROLOGIST (read: Plumber). I am the guy that fixes your plumbing for you only I don't get to charge the prices plumbers do! Knew I went into the wrong field!
BTW: want to see a lot of blond, blued eyed kids....go to the Puerto Plata area. Lots of them there.

I won't comment on the choice of schools-that's your problem!! LOL!
One thing you find is that (a) there isn't much difference in the cooking preferences of Dominican anywhere around the country. Oh, the menu varies, but the basics are the same...you'll see.
(b) There is a Dominican literature. As you will see if you go to a book store here. BTW, read Julia Alvarez "How the Garcia Sisters lost their Accent" for starters...

HB

Say what?!!! You must not be looking hard enough! Beyond Julia Alvarez's works (all of which I love, esp. "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent"), there's the novel "Enriquillo" and the many short stories of Juan Bosch. I'll go dig around in my bookcase and see if I can't come up with a few more names...

I have read Garcia Girls, Time of Butterflies, Tia Lola, and Salome but Julia Alvarez hasn't lived in the DR for 30 years!! What is happening down there NOW!! Junot Diaz is a Dominican-American who has done some great short-stories centered on NYC but I have found it very difficult to find anything written by someone who lives there. I don't mean to disrespect the DR but I have been looking...pretty hard. Even in the way-too-literate SF Bay Area, I cant find anything..even in Spanish. Suggestions appreciate.

Oh, nooooowwwww I understand! It's not considered Dominican literature if it is written by a Dominican no longer residing in the DR! Wonder if that means Hemingway's pieces written while he lived and worked abroad should not be considered American literature? Or Kipling's works should not be considered English lit?

And I guess Dominican lit not written in the last 10 yrs also is not worthy of your consideration. So there goes Bosch, "Enriquillo" etc.

One point: Alvarez was born Dominican, and I suspect if you asked her, she would not deny her heritage, but rather say that it plays an important in shaping who and what she is & her literary works, regardless of whether or not she has lived in the DR since her childhood.

A small factual correction on my prior statement: Alvarez was born in New York City of Dominican parents, but they moved back to the DR soon after her bith. She was raised in the DR until 10 yrs old.

As she has said: "I am a Dominican, hyphen, American...As a fiction writer, I find that the most exciting things happen in the realm of that hyphen--the place where two worlds collide or blend together"