Blending in - tips for foreign residents

[catcherintherye]

"I found a lot of it to be quite depressing"
jr

Could you expand on that a bit? What was depressing and why?

Go ahead, you can be subtly specific.

[jrhartley]

the bit about Dominicans thinking we are bringing their island into disrepute,I suppose its only like higher class English people saying they would never go to Blackpool (Dominicans dont want to go to Sosua)

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by jrhartley

the bit about Dominicans thinking we are bringing their island into disrepute,I suppose its only like higher class English people saying they would never go to Blackpool (Dominicans dont want to go to Sosua)

It's just an observation.

Fact is many Dominicans make broad value judgements on whole groups. It's part of the non-PC culture.

And because the understand that those areas attract a definite "undesireable" foreign element, they unfortunately also lump the upstanding Good Folks into that group.

[catcherintherye]

I suppose there are snobs in every culture, but I figure, 'to each their own'.

As you know, there are many good people here in Sosua, from a wide variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures, and I find the mix to be interesting and fun. If others don't see it that way, that's okay with me.

I am who I am, and I enjoy other people who maintain their own identities. Who would want to live in a community of chameleons?

[Vacara]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

It's just an observation.

Fact is many Dominicans make broad value judgements on whole groups. It's part of the non-PC culture.

And because the understand that those areas attract a definite "undesireable" foreign element, they unfortunately also lump the upstanding Good Folks into that group.

That is a worldwide addiction, not limited to Dominicans by any mean.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Vacara

That is a worldwide addiction, not limited to Dominicans by any mean.

True, but the discussion is about blending in to the Dominican culture. They don't try to hid it. It's front and center, and they don't seem to feel "guilty" about it as in other cultures.

[Pib]

Originally Posted by catcherintherye

I just don't see the point of giving up everything about myself that enables me to be who I am in order to live somewhere.

You are right, that would be something really stupid to do. Good thing nobody suggested it.

[Vacara]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

True, but the discussion is about blending in to the Dominican culture. They don't try to hid it. It's front and center, and they don't seem to feel "guilty" about it as in other cultures.

Give me an specific sample of judgments made by Dominicans. You or anybody else.

[MikeFisher]

Blending in does not mean to change the own personality, such should never be considered to be done, not even tried.
everybody is a individual outcome of the human evolution,
everybody has his/her own personal counts.

Blending in for me means to behave within a new/different surrounding/area/culture in a way where i live as the guest which i am in the new culture without disrespecting the typical/usual cultural ways of living in those new surroundings.
to respect a different culture/surrounding does not require to change the own personality.
if somebody feels the need that the own personality could not fit respectfully within a new culture, then i would recommend the person not to try to live within such cultural surroundings, in such case it would be much better to look for a place more suitable with the own cultural behaviors.

Mike

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by MikeFisher

Back to the theme of the thread.
Blending in.
blending in does not mean to change the own personality, such should never be considered to be done, not even tried.
everybody is a individual outcome of the human evolution,
everybody has his/her own personal counts.

Blending in for me means to behave within a new/different surrounding/area/culture in a way where i live as the guest which i am in the new culture without disrespecting the typical/usual cultural ways of living in those new surroundings.
to respect a different culture/surrounding does not require to change the own personality.
if somebody feels the need that the own personality could not fit respectfully within a new culture, then i would recommend the person not to try to live within such cultural surroundings, in such case it would be much better to look for a place more suitable with the own cultural behaviors.

Mike

I think that's very well put Mike!
I didn't come here to become a different person but I have happily adapted some of my behaviours to live more compatibly among the Dominican people!