Por favor, Gracias, and Permiso

I am learning to adapt here in the DR, but there are a few things that still annoy me about this island. Many people have no concept of saying please, thank you or excuse me. I have been in situations where I have been literally pushed out of the way by men, children and even old ladies. This can happen at the grocery store, waiting for the public car or even just walking down the street. Maybe it is my American values or my southern gentility, but I get really upset when
someone invades my space or pushes me for no apparent reason, other than because someone else wants to be in the space where I am.

Now don't get me wrong, many people do say thank you, but not enough for me. While at work I do not have these problems. These situations seem to happen while I am
walking the dog, grocery shopping or at a club hanging out. The please, thank you, and excuse me siuation is small potatoes compared to the standing in line situation. Dominicans do not believe in waiting in line. I was at the store last night and while standing at the counter speaking with the clerk, a man came in the store, stood next to me nudged me out of the way and started speaking to the clerk also. I gave him a "look", he looked at me and kept speaking. I guess the evil look I gave the man was noticed by the clerk because the clerk looked at me, as if to say, please continue, I did so and paid for my beer and left the store. As I was leaving two young girls entered the store and gave the man the same treatment, that he gave me and it did not seem to bother him. I guess he was used to this common behavior. The few places you wait in line here are the bank,immigration, and the bathroom at JDs. In those first two places guns are involved so people seem to follow orders and directions when ammunition is involved.

When these situations happen I am learning not to get my panties in a bunch and just chalk it up to that's just the way things are in the DR. Now when I say "Dominicans", I am speaking in general terms, I don't believe all Dominicans are rude, just a minority who I come into contact with.