I'm done.

[DRDreamer72]

Hi,
I have seen couple of these types of threads and understand the 'why' for leaving, but could I ask why you chose to come to the DR in the first place? I don't mean that in a bad way, just wondering what it was people were looking for when they chose to come here and why somewhere like Panama would be better?
Cheers all,
Roy

 

[the gorgon]

i wish you well in whatever choice of country you make. my very closest friend is from Panama, and he says that the DR is 30 years behind Panama in every conceivable respect. don?t wait here for it to catch up. the way i see it, there are institutional reasons why it will never catch up. it does not possess the social capital to do so.

God Speed.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

At this point you have only one preliminary decision to make. You have decided to move on, fair enough. Now you have to decide just how much more shyte you are prepared to work through going forward. If you choose to relocate within Latin American you will encounter more of the same that you did here. Some countries more than others. But no developing country is "stress" free.

If going home, wherever that may be, is of no interest to you and of the countries that you have already expressed an interest in, I too would point you towards Panama. Where in that country is up to you depending on how you wish to live your life and what you wish to accomplish each day. Financially, Panama is pretty stable and if your income is in USD, it's a good choice.

Just be forewarned, if the DR has suck away all of your tolerance for the inane, then you may be surprised to find that you cannot escape it completely no matter where you choose to end up.

Happy trails.

 

[smitty777]

be very secretive about your plans. do not let your lady on to what you are about to do. now that her mobile ATM is about to leave the nest, she could get real ugly with you.

i hope you are not planning to take her with you.

Oh he'll no! No way in he'll she's coming with me.

 

[smitty777]

Hi,
I have seen couple of these types of threads and understand the 'why' for leaving, but could I ask why you chose to come to the DR in the first place? I don't mean that in a bad way, just wondering what it was people were looking for when they chose to come here and why somewhere like Panama would be better?
Cheers all,
Roy

Simple answer to your question is it got worse here then it was in the early 2000s.everything that shouldn't go up goes up every year. Crime, energy costs, and food to name a few.

 

[smitty777]

I guess I'll take a few trips to Panama to see which part of the country I want to settle in.
Is it true that new residents to Panama can import up to $20,000 in goods?

 

[GinzaGringo]

Who is the "dummy" here, the woman who locked up the rottweiler, or the guy who entrusted her with his life and shacked up with her?

 

[Kipling333]

Rolling stone gathers no moss . Colombia is no bed of feathers either and I am uncertain what you mean by central Colombia. Bogota is central and is a very cold place . Panama is most uninteresting and at present Honduras is in the hands of gangs. You may think about another Caribbean country .

 

[JMB773]

AND change the location of where you have your passport so she cannot lose that for you as happened to me and another retired American guy I know. "If he doesn't have his passport he cannot leave me" Is a very good example of short term thinking.

But I loved Panama, it is a bit more expensive on living costs, that is basically why I am here, because I have only social security to live on, but if you have your business, go for it! Just west of Panama City across the canal 20 miles there are several communities of gringos. Coronado and others. I prefer to live among the natives, and lived off in the jungle of Campana. My nearest neighbors was a family of monkeys.

My favorite place is Avenida Balboa followed by Punta Pacifica, but if I was going to move to PC with a family hands down Albrook would 1st on my list.

If the OP has a mountain of money PC is a nice place to live.

BTW The worst part about Panama is their tasteless food and I hate Panamanian beer.

Colombian women are not bad either in PC.

 

[DRob]

It might be helpful if the OP told us what he was looking for in terms of lifestyle and what kind of budget he has. I presume when he is saying central Colombia, he probably means Medellin.

 

[frank recktenwald]

I guess I'll take a few trips to Panama to see which part of the country I want to settle in.
Is it true that new residents to Panama can import up to $20,000 in goods?

Take a few trips, you can stay up to 6 months on a tourist visa. I don't know what you are into but check out also Bocas del Toro that's very close to paradise.
Panama offers what has become the world’s best-known pensionado program after the once-heralded program from Costa Rica. Panama’s pensioner status offers some of the deepest retiree discounts available anywhere, making it one of the most generous retiree packages in the world.

The government of Panama is fairly relaxed with regard to the minimum age to apply for this visa. Typically if you are over the age of 18 and receive a guaranteed pension from any government entity, including Social Security, the Armed Forces or a private company, then you can apply.

Your pension must be at least $1,000 per month, plus $250 per month for each dependent, including children under 18. Once you’ve qualified, you enjoy all pensioner visa benefits for life. These include:

50 percent off entertainment anywhere in the country including movies, theaters and concerts
30 percent off bus, boat and train fares
25 percent off airline tickets
50 percent off hotel stays Monday through Thursday
25 percent off hotel stays Friday through Sunday
25 percent off at sit-down restaurants
15 percent off at fast food restaurants
15 percent off hospital bills (if no insurance applies)
10 percent off prescription medications
20 percent off medical consultations
15 percent off dental and eye exams
20 percent off professional and technical services
50 percent off closing costs for home loans
With Panama’s pensionado visa, you are also entitled to a one-time tax exemption on the importation of household goods (up to $10,000) and a tax rebate on every two years of import duties for the importation of a car (sales tax and luxury tax still apply).

In the past it was possible to apply for pensionado visa status on your own. However, the Panamanian government has since enacted a law requiring a lawyer to submit all visa applications. Also, because of the great volume of foreign retirees applying for pensionado visa status in Panama, the process can take up to several months.
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs...17/4-countries-that-welcome-american-retirees

As I mentioned before Panama is a great country and very relaxed, if you know the right people you'll even be able to party with the president, well he was vice- president at that time

 

[JMB773]

I guess I'll take a few trips to Panama to see which part of the country I want to settle in.
Is it true that new residents to Panama can import up to $20,000 in goods?

I'm sorry I just read your whole OP LOL!!!!

Wait you leaving DR and moving to Panama because someone broke into your home?????

Dude Panamanians LIE, CHEAT and STEAL!!!!! If you think you are moving to a safer place you are mistaken.

You think Panama is the LAND OF MILK AND HONEY LOL!!!!

If you continue to choose Latin American countries you will not escape this type of behavior.

I love Costa Rica a lot but I would NEVER live there because too many damn thieves. I was playing basketball once in San Jose and I threw my baseball cap down on the ground and guess??? It grew legs and walked away.

If you are trying to get away from thieves and crooks you are going to the wrong place.

 

[markryan]

I'm sorry I just read your whole OP LOL!!!!

Wait you leaving DR and moving to Panama because someone broke into your home?????

Dude Panamanians LIE, CHEAT and STEAL!!!!! If you think you are moving to a safer place you are mistaken.

You think Panama is the LAND OF MILK AND HONEY LOL!!!!

If you continue to choose Latin American countries you will not escape this type of behavior.

I love Costa Rica a lot but I would NEVER live there because too many damn thieves. I was playing basketball once in San Jose and I threw my baseball cap down on the ground and guess??? It grew legs and walked away.

If you are trying to get away from thieves and crooks you are going to the wrong place.

I would have to agree. If that is the ONLY reason it does not make sense. Even living in one of the safest cities in Canada I have had my house broken into. Cops could not have cared less.

 

[Eleutheria]

Oh, DO go if you are sick of all the bullsh!# in DR.

I've only just left and gotten to Cartagena and it is a stunningly beautiful city, clean, friendly people, very, very nice so far.

I will write more later about my departure from DR, shipping stuff, etc., for anyone who wants info about how the move went (A GONG SHOW, NO SURPRISE THERE).

Sorry to the Mods who got so angry about my "CONSTANT COMPLAINING" and were probably hoping I would not post any more (nice attitude towards the posters, BTW), but I do want to share details about how to leave, or at least about how I left, for other posters who may be contemplating doing the same.

Anyway, of course it is a DR Forum and "NO COMPARISONS" are allowed, but there is no comparison between Cartagena and anywhere in the DR.

I am all about doing what makes you happy, and if living in the DR makes you happy, well, that's just great. But for people who are fed up and not sure about moving, I would say to really check it out, read, visit other places if you can, and TALK TO THE EXPATS WHO LIVE THERE, especially the long-term ones, and see what their satisfaction level is.

Ignore anyone with a VESTED INTEREST in getting you to stay in the DR or warning you off other places and talk to others who are in your position, similar age, interests, income level, to get a feel for whether or not a place might be a good fit.

You chose at some point to move to the DR, don't get sucked in so far that you feel that you have to accept all the crap; you can choose to leave and yes, there are absolutely other destinations that offer a tropical experience at an affordable price.

I have just arrived and am settling in so I cannot say if I will find here what I never found in the DR, but I can definitely say that there is the potential to find all that I am looking for here, it is obvious that the society/culture/economy/infrastructure is far more developed.

 

[AlterEgo]

smitty, I can't help you with suggestions about other countries, but I am interested in your dog!

I will send you a PM.

 

[Robert]

Eleutheria, feel free to post about your moving out of the DR experience.

Cartagena has a nice shine, but dig a little deeper and it ain't all roses.
I lived in Cartagena (Marbella) for almost 3 years. Yes I agree, it cannot be compared to any place in the DR. I'm now in Arboletes, very off the grid compared to 99% of the foreigners that come to reside in Colombia.

Often living in other countries and your experiences is more about the person than the actual country. Some people have problems or unhappy regardless of the destination.

I lived in Santo Domingo for many years and never had a problem.
I have posters (AZB, JDJones etc) on this board that have live in Santo Domingo and never had a problem. It's a great city if you know how to move around and know the right people.

 

[Camden Tom]

Robert, didn't you start a Columbia forum a couple years ago? Is that still up and running?

 

[the gorgon]

Oh, DO go if you are sick of all the bullsh!# in DR.

I've only just left and gotten to Cartagena and it is a stunningly beautiful city, clean, friendly people, very, very nice so far.

I will write more later about my departure from DR, shipping stuff, etc., for anyone who wants info about how the move went (A GONG SHOW, NO SURPRISE THERE).

Sorry to the Mods who got so angry about my "CONSTANT COMPLAINING" and were probably hoping I would not post any more (nice attitude towards the posters, BTW), but I do want to share details about how to leave, or at least about how I left, for other posters who may be contemplating doing the same.

Anyway, of course it is a DR Forum and "NO COMPARISONS" are allowed, but there is no comparison between Cartagena and anywhere in the DR.

I am all about doing what makes you happy, and if living in the DR makes you happy, well, that's just great. But for people who are fed up and not sure about moving, I would say to really check it out, read, visit other places if you can, and TALK TO THE EXPATS WHO LIVE THERE, especially the long-term ones, and see what their satisfaction level is.

Ignore anyone with a VESTED INTEREST in getting you to stay in the DR or warning you off other places and talk to others who are in your position, similar age, interests, income level, to get a feel for whether or not a place might be a good fit.

You chose at some point to move to the DR, don't get sucked in so far that you feel that you have to accept all the crap; you can choose to leave and yes, there are absolutely other destinations that offer a tropical experience at an affordable price.

I have just arrived and am settling in so I cannot say if I will find here what I never found in the DR, but I can definitely say that there is the potential to find all that I am looking for here, it is obvious that the society/culture/economy/infrastructure is far more developed.

i understand , to a point, why you would leave. i am fully aware of the fact that you are going to experience a lot of similar situations in Colombia as you do in the DR. many things will bug you. sometimes the weather will tick you off. the motorists. the insects. you name it.

my problem with the DR is the backwardness. no, not the infrastructure. the social situations. and, yes, they are like that, to a degree, everywhere. the whole social style in the DR is just too primitive for my tastes. if i was younger, i would have been long gone, myself. i prefer to feel like i am in a 21st century setting. this is not.

 

[Robert]

Robert, didn't you start a Columbia forum a couple years ago? Is that still up and running?

Yes I did Tom, but I ended up getting involved in other projects and put it on the back burner.

Will it be resurrected in the future? Maybe...

 

[Eleutheria]

Eleutheria, feel free to post about your moving out of the DR experience.

Cartagena has a nice shine, but dig a little deeper and it ain't all roses.
I lived in Cartagena (Marbella) for almost 3 years. Yes I agree, it cannot be compared to any place in the DR. I'm now in Arboletes, very off the grid compared to 99% of the foreigners that come to reside in Colombia.

Often living in other countries and your experiences is more about the person than the actual country. Some people have problems or unhappy regardless of the destination.

I lived in Santo Domingo for many years and never had a problem.
I have posters (AZB, JDJones etc) on this board that have live in Santo Domingo and never had a problem. It's a great city if you know how to move around and know the right people.

So you are currently living in COLOMBIA and not the DR? Was it YOU or was it the place?
Just curious.