The Newest Attraction

Here in the Dominican, when it comes to nationality, I stick out...well, like a gringa!! It is so strange being a foreigner here because there is no possible way that I can deny that I am not from around here...as a result, us Americanas have become the newest attraction ;)

When I go with my family to the grocery store, or when I am walking with a friend on the street, people cannot seem to help but stare. We are most definitely the foreigners, and we most definitely do not fit the part of a Dominican!!

Here, it is very culturally acceptable for men to whistle and catcall when women walk by... The women don't really take offense, they just ignore the men and keep walking... At our pre-departure meeting we were instructed to do the same...Little did I know how often I would be using this advice!! 

Literally every time we are on the street, every passing car feels the need to honk their horn, or yell something sweet out the window, or blow kisses to us as we walk! Our university also has an elementary/high school within its campus as a part of its ministry within the community, so we are going to school on the same campus as a bunch of Dominican boys...everyday, as we walk by the classroom windows, even though the teachers are in the middle of teaching, the boys yell out "Wow! Gringas!" or "Ven aqui!" or (my favorite) "You are beautiful Americana!"  They also have a habit of hissing in a way...it sort of sounds like when you are trying to get someone's attention to tell them a secret-- "Psst psst!" That is quite popular here, so even if a class isn't completely interrupted by our arrival on campus, we can hear the "Psst-ing" as we pass by each and every classroom window (they must have lots of secrets to tell us! hehe!)

Anyway, I think a lot of the girls were offended at first, but as we have been here, we have realized what it means for things to be culturally acceptable one place, yet not in another. Here, we have to remind ourselves that we are becoming a part of their culture, and when the men call out or try to get our attention, they are not trying to be rude or threatening...that is just what is culturally acceptable! I think my epiphany came when I was in the hall and a boy that looked to be about 7 years old looked at me and gave me a whistle! He obviously wasn't trying to be malicious or inappropriate...that is just what his culture has told him is acceptable!

So often, I think we go to the default of thinking that our own culture is the "right way of doing things", but who is to say? Neither one is right or wrong...they are just different! If that means for three months we will be getting a bit more attention than we are used to, then so be it! (It usually gives me a good laugh!) Besides, after awhile a new attraction isn't so new anymore, right??