Drinking is just not a big deal in The DR. Kids don't feel the pressure to get hammered whenever they can get a hold of it as in The US, because they can just buy some any time they want if they have the money. Another thing I've noticed is that when American "kids" drink their main focus is the alcohol and so get completely hammered vs. The Dominicans of the same age are normally doing it, but at the same time checking out the girls, trying to pick them up, etc...so the focus is normally not the alcohol as a result you don't see the same level of drunkenness.