Completely New Culture

We are learning all kinds of ways the culture here is different than our Western culture. You don't see it from the surface, but we have discovered:

 1. When you walk into a meeting late in the DR, it's rude to slip quietly in back so you don't interrupt the meeting. Here, they expect you to walk to the front, and greet the person in charge and ask to be invited to stay.
 2. The Dominicans value relationships, even among strangers. They will bend over backwards for you if they consider you an ally. But, don't get on their bad side or they deliberately make your life miserable.
 3. Two 'o clock it is! Don't plan anything during the lunch hour. The Dominicans will drop their work mid-project at the stroke of 2:00 to have their biggest meal of the day.