Help a newbie??? Make a friend???

PDXGURL

New member
Apr 8, 2011
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I am starting this thread because I unintentionally "hijacked" someone elses thread in the forum. After apologizing, I am now moving on!

So, I am planning to move to the DR in the next couple of years, sooner if I can manage it. I am looking for advise on any and everything from safe neighborhoods to cultural values and no-no's. I have already gotten some great advise from a few dr1 posters, but am wanting to learn all that I can. I have heard that Santiago and Puerto Plata (or Punta Cana) are good areas for newbies. My daughters, for now, will be staying in the states. I will be bringing my son, who is 8 now, with me. Not sure if I will home-school or go the private sector route. I am a massage therapist by trade, any licensing laws there? It has been suggested that I network with orthopedic doctors and do pro-bono work for people with disabilities, both welcomed suggestions, but open for more. I have experience in office management and customer service as well.

Does anyone have experience with attending a US school online while living the the DR? Is that a common practice? I think I need to research that more on this end.

I am 34, widowed, a cancer-survivor and am wanting to move to the DR for peace and to live a more simple life. I long for friendly people, warm beaches, water sports, fun, and bringing my son up in a place where human decency is more important than the kind of car you drive. I know that the DR has a lot to offer. I have been reading dr1 for hours at a time, I can tell that most love it there. I know that everywhere has it's own sets of problems, but I think that it will be a great move for me!

Do any of you posters here know one another personally? Any group functions? I am hoping to start friendships here that can progress once we have landed in the Dominican Republic!
 
From your post I am assuming you never have been to the DR. If I am wrong I apologize. I think you should take a month long vacation to each area you have listed and see what each area has to offer. As for schooling I know there is an English language International school in Sosua, not sure about Santiago or Punta Cana/Bavaro area. Welcome to DR 1 also and ask away and hopefully we can help you in your research.
 

DMV123

Bronze
Mar 31, 2010
1,211
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I also got the same impression. You need to come down here for at least a month, see if this feels right to you,check out the various places. What is great for one is hell for the next.

As a massage therapist you pretty much hang out your shingle. BUT having credentials will help you build your business. I will go ahead and assume that your client base will be more expats then not. In that case you need to live where they live.

Unfortunately your other work skills are not valued here so if you find a job you will not be paid much for these types of work.

There is a lot of info on these boards. Read read and then read some more. Then come back with very specific questions. That is the best way to get the info you are looking for.

And remember the search function is your friend.......LOL
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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I thought I gave you your own thread over in LIVING...oh well, what I said originally, still applies. Go slow.

HB
 

Reese

New member
Oct 5, 2010
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There are a few English schools in the Bavaro/Punta Cana area however they are VERY expensive. Attending school online in the US can be done, however you have to take into consideration how you will get your books. If they are not available on ebooks or online it can get kind of expensive having them shipped here.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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Clarification: in the Punta Cana/B?varo area one of the schools, Heritage Cap Cana is "very expensive" - on a par with the most expensive schools in the capital like Carol Morgan and St George. The Punta Cana International School is upper/middle range in terms of pricing comparable with the other good bilingual schools in Santo Domingo. We pay just over US$5000 per year for our soon-to-be sixth grader. The highest grades pay a little more, primary and pre-school pay a little less.
There are several moderately priced private schools in the area - Calasanz, Trinity and Jardin Verde (the first is not bilingual, not sure about the others). A Montessori school is due to open next year.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
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Santiago
Living here in the DR can be a lot cheaper than the States if you are willing to adapt. Nonetheless, you need to have a job lined up before you come here or you will more than likely have to return. If you aren't willing to learn the language expect to pay more for goods and services. This can be mitigated if you buy only from places that the prices are marked.

As far as education, there are very expensive schools here but there are to be found decent private schools that have have English classes. These can be substituted by sending your kids to a separate language institute a couple of times in week in the afternoon. Typically the private schools have separate classes from 8 am to 12 am and from 1 am to 5 pm.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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it's because where i come from education is free (communist legacy). we do have private schools/universities but public ones are better.
i just cannot imagine paying this much for school only.
cats come cheaper :)
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
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wft, really. do they feed kids gold flakes? scary... :(

It's about half the price of Carol Morgan, St George or Heritage, and still slightly less than some of the other good schools in the capital that I would consider to be the academic equivalent.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
it's because where i come from education is free (communist legacy). we do have private schools/universities but public ones are better.
i just cannot imagine paying this much for school only.
cats come cheaper :)
Same here. Sometimes I could kick and scream about having to pay twice for things that I always received in return for just paying my taxes, but at least with education here you can get a decent deal.
 

Africaida

Gold
Jun 19, 2009
7,774
1,341
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it's because where i come from education is free (communist legacy). we do have private schools/universities but public ones are better.
i just cannot imagine paying this much for school only.
cats come cheaper :)

I understand where you coming from since in France private schools are for "bad" kids: kids that need extra help, that were expelled from public ones, etc...Public is the way to go.
I used to pay 1 USD per min for picking up my son late in 350 USD per week daycare in NYC (diapers and food were not included) !!!!!! So,Yeah, cats do come cheaper lol.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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i must say it makes it quite bleak for the OP. normally dr1ers say 1000 dollars a month gives ok lifestyle. but 5k for school is a lot. two kids and you have 10k dollars. add books, lunches, etc and you have 12000, yearly budget.
of course you will see yanadu claim he pays 500 pesos a year for his 16 kids but i would think an average american/european wants the best education possible for their children and thus, expensive bilingual school.
and then, face it, expensive school means lots of rich spoiled brats. and when lovely kids of the OP may say "my mum gives massages" some stupid kids will hear "gives head in sosua". kids can be cruel. i remember even chip was mentioning that his children feel ashamed of arriving to school on pasola and eating lunch with morena nanny...
i would also add that unless one lives in humble neighbourhood (which normally has no access to good schools) DR is a place where nothing matters more than what car you drive...
 

CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
2,321
26
48
public education in the US varies wildly depending on your school district, (local govt.). In some suburban communities, and some specialized schools in large cities, the education can be excellent, with large percentages (90%+) of the kids going on to higher education. In some (many) large city districts, the schools can be anything from a joke to very dangerous places; with greater than half dropping out before graduation. Certainly not what one would call an education, unless you mean an education in survival.
 

RacerX

Banned
Nov 22, 2009
3,390
376
0
i must say it makes it quite bleak for the OP. normally dr1ers say 1000 dollars a month gives ok lifestyle. but 5k for school is a lot. two kids and you have 10k dollars. add books, lunches, etc and you have 12000, yearly budget.
of course you will see yanadu claim he pays 500 pesos a year for his 16 kids but i would think an average american/european wants the best education possible for their children and thus, expensive bilingual school.
and then, face it, expensive school means lots of rich spoiled brats. and when lovely kids of the OP may say "my mum gives massages" some stupid kids will hear "gives head in sosua". kids can be cruel. i remember even chip was mentioning that his children feel ashamed of arriving to school on pasola and eating lunch with morena nanny...
i would also add that unless one lives in humble neighbourhood (which normally has no access to good schools) DR is a place where nothing matters more than what car you drive...

See, and there is no longer a points system for me to give you any.