Checklist??

Zap28

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Feb 24, 2011
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I'm curious if there are pointers that can direct a 'newbie' to what kind of research/information to obtain/learn before deciding to make the big move to the DR? I realize there is an ABUNDANCE of information out here & I'm doing my best to read as much as I can, absorb it and learn along the way as well as trying to figure out what else are necessities to learn beforehand. It's difficult to navigate thru the forum with SO MANY posts/threads, and I am OK with it if that's what I have to do. But I thought I'd just come right out and ask if there is some kind of 'checklist' out here or that someone could think of to post, maybe as a 'sticky' so ppl like 'me' can go from one thing to the next and not miss the 'crucial' information.

Thanks in advance, regardless if there's anything to refer me to, or anyone willing to compile a list.
 

Goll

Member
Mar 10, 2009
54
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Contemplating a move

Visit the country a few times before thinking of moving. Your experience and feelings/reactions will be your own, so it is not really possible to make a decision based on what happens to others. You need to get to know some people, and it is extremely important to know some Spanish and to be ready to learn a lot.

A lot of people call the country paradise, but for one thing there would be no mosquitos in paradise! Many other natural and human traits of the country might be hard to adjust too as well.
 

Zap28

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Feb 24, 2011
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Thank you for your reply. :)


Oh for sure... that's what I want to do ideally. Come and stay to get a feel for it. But even before THAT, I'm sure there are plenty of things I need/should know about/learn etc. I'm curious what the most important things would be... for those who have made the transition or have travelled the path I am speaking of, what do you wish you knew before you went at all?? Is there a "MUST KNOW" list?? I'm sure there are things I haven't even thought of ~ and don't wanna be blindsided by it. Being fully aware or as aware as I can be before experience is what I'm aiming for.
 

DMV123

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Mar 31, 2010
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Start by reading the Living section of the forum. Read all the "stickies"then just read the threads that interest you.

What is your timeline? Why do you want to move here? What area or are you still undecided?

There are probably as many questions as their are suggestions!

Remember that everything you read here are individuals opinions. Get a feel for the posters,not just the information. After a while you will see patterns....

Take it all with a grain of salt, your experience will be uniquely yours. AND after reading, ask some specific questions. We will try to answer you.

BTW welcome to DR1.
 

Zap28

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Feb 24, 2011
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Thank you! As of right now... I have no immediate plans to leave. The big thing mentioned a couple posts above holds me back: money. ;) I realize I need to have this available to me I just want to be prepared before I go. Tho, if I could leave tomorrow, I would. I want to experience the culture... the country, see how I can survive in a new environment different from what I'm used to. Dominican is beautiful, weather is lovely, beaches of course are gorgeous... I want to see more of the country, possibly do some 'volunteer' work here & there?? I dunno, so many ideas... but I want to be real about it all. I'm not naive to the realities that are out there, that I've read about & hear about. But I have a LOT to learn. Including the language... and have been in contact with a private tutor for spanish lessons.

I've tried to contemplate how much money I would need per month. I am Canadian. Someone told me at least $2,000 Canadian/US ~ I'm not familiar with the conversions yet either... as I said, I have a LOT to learn. But I can't take the next step til I learn, right?? And I guess I just need to know... what exactly should I learn first & foremost, aside of the language & understanding the currency.

When I go... I plan to stay at LEAST a month. Two if I'm able... and then decide after that if I want to go back for longer... and go from there. As for WHERE in Dominican?? I've been told the East & North Coast is lovely... but still, there are so many places to choose from. I've been reading a lot about various cities. Is there a specific place on the forum to find the most expensive places to live? (obviously I want to pay less than the most expensive, lol, just want to know where to not bother looking & why) I realize too that the least expensive places may be more dangerous or sketchy... I want to avoid this as well. I know as mentioned a lot of it is personal choice/opinion, but I've only travelled to Punta Cana on vacation & while it's gorgeous there, I assume it would cost a fortune to live there??

I'll read more I guess & go from there. Just if anyone does have any good pointers or things I should read up on FOR SURE... please let me know. Thanks.
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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Punta Cana? Not exactly sure about in Punta Cana but Bavaro is very cheap for rental property. You might go mad with boredom but the rentals are cheaper than anywhere I've lived for what you get. Avoid agents, not needed, everything has signs and there is loads empty, crying out for occupancy.
 

Dan Spinnover

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Nov 1, 2010
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I would like to add something about the D.R. In the D.R., and there will probably be some to repudiate this: There are basically two different worlds (that I am aware of). The one is the tourist scene... where people speak basically English, hang out / live with, or are always close to English-speaking people. They live in, or close to the resort towns- North: Punta Cana and South: Juan Dolio/Bocha Chica beaches. The other is the native scene. You, if you know enough spanish, can immerse yourself into that culture, and live anywhere in the D.R. It's doesn't have to be perfect. But basic conversation skills are essential. Otherwise, if would like to stick with solely English...that is a fine way to stay/live as well, I would think.
 
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Spicedwine

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Apr 25, 2006
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I agree with most of what has been posted. As a Canadian living here now for 4 years, I can only tell you my opinions based on my experience.
Do not think a few words of Spanish is all you will need to experience life here.
After this much time I am still not fluent enough to do more than basics.
Medical situations require a person fluent in the language and culture.
The culture I don't think is something you can prepare for. It came and comes as a big surprise to me and still does.
The North Coast, is completely different from the city of Santiago, where people seem to live "normal" lives, jobs, family, friends, etc, whereas the areas of Cabarete and Sosua, seem to be more of a surreal atmosphere, where the majority are retired expats, and tourists.
Bear in mind, there are always exceptions, and I am stating on a general overall feel.
The weather is awesome, the flights back to Canada expensive, imported grocery items expensive, and in my opinion, you will learn to lower your expectations.
Be prepared to deal with paperwork like never before, in banks, or with lawyers... they love paper!!!
Visit often and for as long as you can, before deciding anything and leave your rose coloured glasses at home.
This is a beautiful Island with many of the benefits, but it is like any other place you live, not without difficulty and it is a developing country so expect some things you haven't thought of or dealt with before.
I know nothing of the Santo Domingo or Punta Cana areas so no comment!
Keep reading, learning Spanish, and research research research!!!
Welcome to DR1, and good luck in your journey.
 

granca

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Aug 20, 2007
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I like and approve of dan spinnnover's post. Another thing I feel is important, are you a town or a country person? I can't speak for townies but as a country lad I really have had very little problems with adjusting to life here. As a country boy you know the locals are suspicious of foreigners even those from the next village, they have their own, at times weird, ways of doing thing. You've just got to fit in and treat everybody in the way you'd like to be treated, until they know you just accept that they know best. Frequently ask their advice, even in bad spanish. If you have a superfluity of anything in the garden, make some un- ostentatious gifts, you'll find that you too will find a few platanos or whatever on your doorstep. I am very happy here and don't hesitate to apply the M.Y.O.B. doctrine.
 

CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
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So far what people have told you is spot-on. Be prepared to hear some others chime in with less than credible info and some very biased opinions, (pro and con), along with repetitive reiterations of the "party line" -- kind of broad brush generalizations. The information articles on this site are well written and contain good info. But when it comes to the forums, the best advice is what DMV told you... keep in mind the source of what you're reading. Get to "know" the individual posters and take into account who is saying what. Don't think that just because you read it, that it is true, most is, but some isn't and the "isn't" can be far off base.
 

yanandu

Banned
Jan 23, 2011
472
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about 500$ a month should do it for a single person. Maybe 8000-10000 ( 200 - 250 $)for place near beach - and 200 pesos a day for food maximum . If you drink or smoke allow for a little more.
Yanandu:bunny:

Thank you! As of right now... I have no immediate plans to leave. The big thing mentioned a couple posts above holds me back: money. ;) I realize I need to have this available to me I just want to be prepared before I go. Tho, if I could leave tomorrow, I would. I want to experience the culture... the country, see how I can survive in a new environment different from what I'm used to. Dominican is beautiful, weather is lovely, beaches of course are gorgeous... I want to see more of the country, possibly do some 'volunteer' work here & there?? I dunno, so many ideas... but I want to be real about it all. I'm not naive to the realities that are out there, that I've read about & hear about. But I have a LOT to learn. Including the language... and have been in contact with a private tutor for spanish lessons.

I've tried to contemplate how much money I would need per month. I am Canadian. Someone told me at least $2,000 Canadian/US ~ I'm not familiar with the conversions yet either... as I said, I have a LOT to learn. But I can't take the next step til I learn, right?? And I guess I just need to know... what exactly should I learn first & foremost, aside of the language & understanding the currency.

When I go... I plan to stay at LEAST a month. Two if I'm able... and then decide after that if I want to go back for longer... and go from there. As for WHERE in Dominican?? I've been told the East & North Coast is lovely... but still, there are so many places to choose from. I've been reading a lot about various cities. Is there a specific place on the forum to find the most expensive places to live? (obviously I want to pay less than the most expensive, lol, just want to know where to not bother looking & why) I realize too that the least expensive places may be more dangerous or sketchy... I want to avoid this as well. I know as mentioned a lot of it is personal choice/opinion, but I've only travelled to Punta Cana on vacation & while it's gorgeous there, I assume it would cost a fortune to live there??

I'll read more I guess & go from there. Just if anyone does have any good pointers or things I should read up on FOR SURE... please let me know. Thanks.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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625
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about 500$ a month should do it for a single person. Maybe 8000-10000 ( 200 - 250 $)for place near beach - and 200 pesos a day for food maximum . If you drink or smoke allow for a little more.
Yanandu:bunny:

200 pesos for food, per day? Maybe one doing his own cooking... in higuey you cannot get any decent comedor (without taking it to the level of restaurant) meal that would be under 200 pesos (if we do not count "Plato de dia" for 100-120 pesos, but who would survive on a piece of chicken, abundant white rice and a small cup of beans eating every day for lunch?). Even the supermarket cafeteria bill (e.g. potatoes, mangu, fries, etc. accompanied by chuleta, res guisado, chicken breast, bistec encebollado, etc. , buying a "normal sized portion" and a soft drink would set you back at least 180 pesos for a meal.)
 

Goll

Member
Mar 10, 2009
54
8
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Learning

A good way to spend a month and to get to know the place is to sign up for a language course, living with a family if possible. Get to know one or two teachers (while remembering that they live in the place and cannot hang out with you as if on vacation) or other staff. Stay away from tourist resorts, they are no way to get to know a country, and are full of chancers who will be interested only in your money. Don't think of buying a place until you are fairly familiar with the city or area, a big investment in the wrong place could cause a lot of grief.
 
May 29, 2006
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$1000 a month for room/board and transport is far more realistic and that is with not much whistles and bells. I have met one or two folks willing to live on the VERY cheap, but $250/month for an apt will not get little niceties like hot water, quiet neighbors or basic security, especially without a good command of Spanish and a preference for rice and yucca for part of the daily diet.
 

Zap28

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Feb 24, 2011
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See? That's the kind of info I need... the bear minimum and what you'd get vs. medium and what one might consider expensive??

Also, in regards to the language course & live with a family... how do I acquire information about this?? Where would I look? And are the families who sign up for this legit as in safe & helpful? I suppose it varies & there are no certainties like anything else, but if there are agencies that set this kind of thing up, I would assume there'd have to be some kind of screening, no? Either way, how do I find info out about this??
 

Anastacio

Banned
Feb 22, 2010
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$250 a month won't get you anywhere, I think most of us know that. In a direct contradiction, but you wont want this for your first experience. Accommodation wise if you could get a bedsit for $250 and you can, you would be sharing a communal area with Haitians and natives and on a minimum basis of over 3 months, usually 6 minimum. So still paying 3 months to move in, which he doesn't want.
For a month in a realistic accom catered to someone who doesn't know, he'll be doing well to get a place for $500, and in the real world will more than likely end up paying up to $700, somewhere inberween.
Getting about and doing the things that need to be done to see if you like a place is also going to cost more than regular living.
Your original thought if $2000us for the month to accomplish the things you need to was a very realistic number. You may leave with change, but you're in the ball park.

Where you are based makes all the difference.