Some Lessons Learned

A master networker/researcher I am not, but I have learned a thing or two during my short time in Santo Domingo...


•Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor. I showed up in Santo Domingo with very few contacts, however, I know people who know people who know people. Through these long chains of connections I’ve been able to speak with some of the most important players in the sector I am investigating. The key is simply to ask for some help by those original contacts and run with it from there.

•Make friends however you can. For example: I recently made a really important contact while meeting with a group of “couchsurfers” in a bar.

•Learn to navigate the Public Transport System. When conducting research for a yet-to-be-established initiative with an almost non-existent budget, working cheaply is essential. It’s taken some time and a concentrated effort, but I have learned to navigate the public transport system of Santo Domingo, saving me plenty of money that would have otherwise gone towards taxis.

•Dress to impress. My current reality is that I am very obviously a foreigner, I am young, and I speak Spanish more like a street vendor than an academic or business professional. In light of this, I have to do everything I can to make myself look credible. Dressing like a competent professional is part of this effort. How much does wearing slacks and a nice shirt actually help build credibility? I can’t be sure, but I am certain that it doesn’t hurt.

•Be confident, but honest. In the midst of meeting a contact, shyness and insecurity are not what people want to see. It is important that I am confident that my project will work, and capable of making it happen. However, being honest about the status of the project, the difficulties faced, the areas of uncertainty, is necessary and helpful—if you’re talking to powerful people, they’ve gotten to that position because they are smart and motivated…let them understand your difficulties and help to come up with potential solutions.