The culture here is very different from that of the United States, obviously. Dominicans are very emotional people. It is common to be in the office and hear people screaming at the top of their lungs during an argument. Though some things they do may be considered inconsiderate in the United States (such as referring to you as they see you, calling you "fatty," "ugly," "skinny," "baldy,") I like to think that they mean well. They are not afraid to ask you personal questions. They enjoy making fun of others, even if that person is a stranger. They also exaggerate tremendously, making even the smallest thing a huge deal.
Despite their somewhat offensive way of expressing themselves, the appreciation they have for life and what little they have illuminates from their eyes. For more than a century the Dominican people have seen their country torn apart by dictator after dictator, most notably Trujillo and Belaguer. The atrocities committed against them by bellicose and ravenous leaders remains imbedded in their minds. Even the youth here is reminded of the days when life was cheap, when speaking your mind could cost you your life.
I find the Dominican people and their culture to be contradicting. They are both exaggerated and emotional, but at the same time humble and reserved. Their food is bland and tasteless, but their national dance (merengue/bachata) is exuberant and passionate. They laugh at other people´s expense but are too proud to laugh at themselves. The dictatorships they suffered, it appears, have insinuated a complex and crucial identity crisis. So many times in my travels I have noticed just how influential the past is for a country. The Dominican people know who they were, and who they are now, but are not sure about who they will become.
