For example, he said that when he had a party at his apartment the police eventually came to investigate a noise complaint that one of his neighbors had issued.
This conversation recently creeped into my mind and made me think about how freedom is different between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.
One of the most common complaints I see from an expat/tourist facebook group called "Everything Las Terrenas" is how people say their local neighbor's music is too loud and goes on for too long into the night.
Many group members ask why the police don't do anything about it or if there are some legal measures that can be taken to stop the noise. In most cases there are none.
Outside of noise there are many other cases where freedom differs between the Dominican Republic and the United States.
Prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic. Even though many brothels have been eradicated and the role of the "pimp" is illegal, sex workers do not need to worry about having to keep an eye out for the police.
On the contrary, sex workers in the U.S. not only have to be vigilant against possible abusive johns, but also law enforcement trying to bust their business.
This can create a very dark situation for a group of mostly women who have no one to turn to legally speaking if they do find themselves in a precarious position.
From my observation I would say that in the Dominican Republic there are less worries of the government enforcing every single regulation that is in the book.
A great example of this is how many Dominicans drive. As an American, I see a lot of road behavior that I know in the U.S. would definitely get people pulled over by the police. But here getting pulled over for bad driving is not on anyone's mind.
There are positives and negatives of living in a culture where regulations are not so heavily enforced. However, having lived in the US for most of my life I do understand and appreciate how rules are enforced.
When there is a clear system it becomes easier for people to operate, grow and build within their community. Historically speaking Dominican Republic has dealt with a lot of political corruption which has halted the advancement of the nation.
Even though the United States is not a perfect example and day by day becoming worse I think because regulations are enforced in many areas as it relates to everyday life and business it allows people to be "free" within the system and grow their business or personal projects without having to go through as many hoops and obstacles as in the Dominican Republic.
So even though people call the U.S the land of the free in actuality you may be able to enjoy less regulations if you decide to live in the Dominican Republic. However if you are trying to start a business, buy property or do anything very official you may need to keep your head on a swivel as it relates to people trying to pull a fast one on you here in the Dominican Republic.
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