Dominican Republic

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another and maintain direct eye contact. At a first meeting a warm handshake will suffice and is sometimes combined with slight touches on the arms and/or elbows. Handshakes may linger a bit. Good friends and family will engage in a firm hug which may be combined with a few slaps on the back.

Woman greeting Woman - At a first meeting, women generally shake hands. Friends and close acquaintances kiss each other once on the cheek.

Man greeting Woman - At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Friends, family and close acquaintances usually share a light kiss on the cheek.

Communication Style

• Dominicans tend to be quite open and direct in conversations. Asking personal questions during a first meeting, like how many children you have, how old you are, etc., is quite common.
• Until you get to know someone better, it is best to avoid talking about politics, religion, and relations with Haiti.
• Humor and laughter play a big role in communicating. Dominicans tend to be quite happy people.

Personal Space & Touch

• Dominicans prefer standing close to one another while talking. One to two feet is normal. It can be considered rude to back up or away from someone while they are speaking.
• There is a fair amount of touching between men and men, and women and women and men and women while conversing.

Eye Contact

• Dominicans tend to favor direct eye contact over indirect.
• During conversations direct eye contact is commonplace rather than sporadic as it shows a sign of interest and respect towards the speaker.

Gestures

• Dominicans tend to talk very quickly and loudly and use their hands a great deal when speaking.
• People beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers.
• Many Dominicans will point by puckering their lips in the direction or person they are referring to.
• Wrinkling or scrunching up of your nose usually means, “Huh” or “what?”

Views of Time

• Dominicans place more emphasis on people and relationships than to the strict adherence of set schedules in social situations.
• While the bus, train, and plane schedules will be adhered to for the most part, showing up one to two hours late to a party or function is quite common.

Gender Roles

• The has a very macho culture. Women tend to be seen as sexual objects and the ones who should be in charge of cooking and cleaning even if they work full time.
• Work opportunities for women are varied and available yet earnings are lower.
• It’s acceptable for women to dine alone, but going to local bars and clubs unaccompanied is not advised.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is 18, and is not readily enforced.
• The legal smoking age is 18 and is not heavily enforced.
• Penalties for possession, acquisition, and trafficking of drugs are severe and include mandatory lengthy imprisonment in local jails.

Dress

• Dominicans value being well dressed and nicely groomed.
• For men: conservative, dark or medium colored suits with shirts and conservative ties. Depending on the situation, a guayabera shirt with nice slacks clothing may be okay.
• For women: stylish yet classic business suits or dresses and blouses. Most women are always made-up and usually wear heels and hoes.
• Jeans and business casual attire is usually not appropriate.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are very important and it is best to address people directly by using their professional title or Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname.
• It is advisable, although not required, to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish. Present your business card with the Spanish side facing the recipient.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving of business cards although it is advisable to treat the card with respect.

Meetings

• Arriving on time for a meeting is important even though you may have to wait 30 minutes or more.
• There is usually 5-15 minutes of small talk before getting down to business. It is best to allow your host to begin the business discussion.
• It is considered acceptable to interrupt someone who is speaking.

Negotiations

• Dominicans value relationship building and harmony so it is important to avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or confrontation.
• Dominicans can become animated when negotiating, be sure to not mistake this for aggression.
• Decisions are made from the top down and can take sometime.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not usually brought to a first meeting.
• If invited to a Dominican’s house, it is appropriate to bring flowers (avoid black and purple as they are funeral colors), wine, spirits, or chocolates.
• Make sure that gifts are nicely wrapped and they are usually to be opened right away.

In the Classroom

• The school year usually runs from August to May.
• Dress at most schools is upscale casual. Students usually wear shirts, sweaters, slacks or jeans most of the time. Shorts are not as common.
• Most university grades are given on a 0-100 scale with a hundred being the highest. The minimum passing grade is usually a 70.