Do you regret moving to the Dominican Republic?

[drstock]

1. UK
2. 6 years
3. No problem. I wouldn't have come if I didn't like warmer weather than back home.
4. Not really. Rice and beans don't do a lot for me.
5. Have learnt enough Spanish over my time here to be able to communicate adequately. I rarely understand when Dominicans speak to each other or expect me to comprehend when they speak at top speed. Don't like talking Spanish on the phone.
6. Getting used to driving here is fine, as long as you remember to look all around at all times for motos passing on all sides. I'll never get used to the lack of consideration at night when lights either blind you or are invisible.

 

[Fulano2]

1. Netherlands
2. From 1991-2000, this month we go back again to the DR, at this moment selling everything here in Belgium and packing.
3. A/C and long siestas with the DR lady.
4. I am an easy eater. Like beans, like chicken and the known roots, yuca, yautia, etc.
5. I studied Spanish so no problem, speak it since the 1980's.
6. Hate the traffic in SD but we live in a wonderful campo.

 

[JD Jones]

Regrets? Nope

1. From what country did you moved to the DR? USA via PR

2. How long have you been living in the DR? Came first time in 1971, moved for good in 1986.

3. How do you cope with the weather? What's wrong with the weather?

4. How did you became used to (or incorporated into your diet) typical Dominican food? I'm good with food. Any food. (except guandules)

5. (For non-Spanish speakers) How do you manage without speaking Spanish? I speak Dominican @#$@#$# with an accent.

6. Was getting used to local driving habits easy or hard? How did you cope with it? DR traffic is "go with the flow" method. Figure that out, it's a piece of cake. Never drive fast.

 

[ju10prd]

1. UK but in reality I'm a Caribbean expat
2. On a permanent basis 11 years with times off island work related. First visited 1983.
3. Weather is perfect and still with a hint of seasonal variation being in the north of the Caribbean. I don't use air conditioning except in the car.
4. I enjoy most types of Dominican food but shun the fried dishes.
5. I started my time here without a word of Spanish but have worked at it ever since and whilst far from perfect feel at ease in daily living with the language now.
6. Like a fish to water having driven in other countries with disregard to traffic rules. 'Nose in front rules' and always drive defensively and calm.

 

[Harleysrock]

Yes to regrets!! I have a love/ hate relationship with this Country, right now in the HATE stage.
The thing that keeps us here is all the awesome friends we have and well our 12 animals. I can't see us being here for more than 5 years from now.

1. Vancouver, Canada.

2. We have lived here 3 years 9 months

3. I dislike the heat a great deal although I am becoming more acclimatized, I don't like living in this climate year round. It's nice that it is always sunny and bright out though. Way prefer Vancouver weather.

4. I've had Domincan food 3-4 times and, dislike it, always eat at gringo restaurants and don't eat food when offered it at people's places I've always been a picky eater though.

5. It's somewhat easy to get around on the NC without Spnaish but would make things a lot easier to be fluent that I know! I have my wife and friends to translate what I don't understand .

6. I quite like driving here, it's like a video game. I love driving challenges!!!

Some of the motos I would love to pick off with a BB gun .

Dominican Republic is not for everyone and I am one of those people. CC you were right!! .

 

[CristoRey]

1. From USA
2. Living here 4 1/2 years non stop minus - 6 weeks this past summer.
3. Weather here is just like back home in Louisiana. Hot, humid, love it.
4. Seamless transition with the food... lots of rice with meat and beans back home.
Its all this light beer I'm having trouble incorporating into my diet.
5. Spanish was a little (still is) tricky. I understand a lot more than I can speak (properly)
probably because I learned most of it with nothing more than a dictionary and a
few barrio bunnies :cheeky:
6. Getting used to the local "driving" (if thats what you want to call it) was easy as I lived in
a few other third world countries, although I'd never consider owning a car or driving here
on a regular basis.

 

[drstock]

It's good to see that despite what seems to be a lot of negativity in general on the DR1 site, most people taking part in the survey don't regret moving here. Maybe people just like moaning, or maybe wherever they came from they moaned even more!

 

[jefe de la finca]

My only regret was being so far from family the day my Dad passed away.

1. Country bumpkin from the UK
2. 6.5 years
3. Acclimatized well and learned long ago that trying to keep up with the locals when it gets hot is futile for this gringo. AC, what's that? Campo style cooling is open doors and windows, the shade of a tree or sitting in the river with a Presidente.
4. Cooked and not moving works for me every time. I like Dominican food be it in a good restaurant (a rare treat) or having a meal with the workers that has been cooked campo style in the shade of a mango tree. I do miss English real ale and admit to smuggling Marmite into the country.
5. No Spanish when I first arrived but picked it up relatively quickly. It's not perfect (call it semi fluent) but learning is an on going process and is good enough to make myself understood.
6. From the orderly roads of the UK to what seemed to be the live set of Death Race 2000 was a big culture shock. Having to get used to things being on the 'wrong' side (steering wheel, traffic) while getting to grips with the apparent free for all road rules was stressful for a while. I'm used to it now and chug along with inner peace at my own pace in a beat up pickup truck. However it's always in defensive mode just in case the next idiot moto, taxi, Mack truck or jay walking farm animal or human is just around the next corner planning to mess up my day.

 

[cobraboy]

4. How did you became used to (or incorporated into your diet) typical Dominican food? I'm good with food. Any food. (except guandules)

Agree on guandules.

Not a huge fan of yuca or platano (love maduros, though.) Tayota is something I pass on unless that's the only veggie offered.

 

[cobraboy]

I wanna hear from the NO and SOMEWHAT responders.

 

[cobraboy]

6. From the orderly roads of the UK to what seemed to be the live set of Death Race 2000 was a big culture shock.

Death Race 2000, LMFAO!

:cheeky:

It does seem that way at first...

 

[AlterEgo]

I wanna hear from the NO and SOMEWHAT responders.

I'm an "a little" responder, but I don't live there year round. I do regret that we've invested so much money into a home there, because selling it will take a miracle.

1. From what country did you moved to the DR? USA

2. How long have you been living in the DR? First trip was 1975, bought land around 1978, built house in 80s, expanded it and redid it completely during last 6-7 years.

3. How do you cope with the weather? Lots of fans, AC in bedroom for hot nights.

4. How did you became used to (or incoporated into your diet) typical Dominican food? No issues at all, I cook it and eat it. Not crazy about red beans, but I do like black ones. I can't do it 24/7 though, we eat American and Italian food there too, and the maid has gotten pretty good at the American stuff. Don't trust her with the Italian

5. (For non-Spanish speakers) How do you manage without speaking Spanish? Back in '75 I only knew what I remembered from high school, not much. Now I can communicate in almost all circumstances, and I do okay, except for those pesky tenses.

6. Was getting used to local driving habits easy or hard? How did you cope with it? Not an issue, learned how to drive in NYC and Manhattan when I was a girl.

 

[Meemselle]

I wanna hear from the NO and SOMEWHAT responders.

I am a SOMEWHAT responder.

I have my days where I look around the mean streets of the Dusty Whore Town I Call Home, and think to myself, "For this you left Fairfield County?" But then I remember things about Fairfield County, and I say to myself, "For this: I left Fairfield County."

 

[Playero]

1. Switzerland
2. 18 years
3. love the weather, got A/C at night
4. married to a chef. No problem.
5. fluent in spanish
6.traffic is still a bit scary even after all those years. Very afraid of the drunken crackheads driving around in the huge SUVs. I
do not drive at night neither.

voted "a little" for being far away from my family and friends and business opportunities are more limited than "back home".

 

[janlindy]

sometimes things can get very frustrating.
1. USA
2. 4yrs
3.love it ,use fans a/c in bedroom if need.
4. incorporated love rice & beans -but hard to get good beef, chicken & pork are much better.
5. management is still in the learning phase - never took spanish-
6. scares the **** out of me, small towns are ok but larger towns not so much.

 

[Mauricio]

I guess until now I am the only 'Absolutely' voter. I miss a category that is milder than Absolutely but stronger than Somewhat....

I actually can't really make up my mind if I am glad we came back here or not. Even if we decide not to stay, it have been 7 blessed years, but the reasoning I had 7 years ago when deciding to try it again in DR I find immature now and if I knew what I know now (for example that we would have 4 children and not only 2) I'd have stayed where I was.

 

[Casino127]

Yes, if i did not have properties and family i would go right away. To much crime and corruption. The country side and
landscape is a paradise, but the society is all F+++K UP. Sorry fox !! I have been 27 years , and i was better off with Balenger
time as a foreigner.

 

[Casino127]

Balaguer 1986-1996

 

[wrecksum]

Some days I don't..

 

[Pansy]

I love it here, I like the people, adore where I live and can take whatever the weather chooses to throw at me.

1. Moved from England.
2. Lived here in the winter for the first two years and pretty much full time for the last 12 years
3. Love the weather. It's why I moved
4. Have Dominican food when the maid cooks, otherwise eat American, European or cook myself.
5. Had some Spanish lessons at the beginning and can get by, but no more. I am not part of "Dominican Life".
6. Driving has always remained need me of a computer game. I no longer drive for anything other than essential journeys.