We must already live in a low crime neighborhood and city! When I bought my first house, looking at it from a criminal's point of view didn't even come to mind. I mean, we do have a home security system, lighting, dog, cameras, high fence, deadbolts, etc. already. I'm just wondering if we have to beef up our security even more in the DR, are we living in paranoia, or is that the reality of non-gated life there? We won't need a gardener, maid or workers. Just us, our dog, our security system and a small parcel of land for a garden and workshop. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. I'm getting the impression here and on a couple of other forums that we will never feel as safe there as we do here. Am I reading too much into the posts? Maybe this is a pipe dream and we should just spend time there as tourists? I've been reading some very disturbing news articles. The police corruption doesn't put my mind at ease!
- Thread starter koolkatrina
- Start date
Gated communities - why?
Koolkatrina;
Unfortunately the reality is that you are not moving to a developed country you are moving to a 'developing' country. The difference is vast and the mind set is very different from whereever in the 1st world you're living now.
There's no reason to be paranoid because if that were the case then living here would be more of a prison term than a life choice.
Out of the expats that I've met here the ones that seem to be fairing the best are ones that are well traveled. These expats have experienced numerous other cultures and countries and because of those experiences seem to have a better insight in to how a developing latin country operates.
The people that I've met that are having the hardest time are those that have very limited travel experience.
Also please keep in mind that this board only offers you the perspective of those members that are actively posting. There are thousands of expats that live here on the north coast and a great many of them haven't even heard of DR1.
Thanks whirleybird. We'll continue to visit the DR and keep learning as much as possible before making any investment moves. Many real estate agents I've connected with highly recommend gated communities, and that's just not for us. We'll keep an open mind for sure. We're not in a rush.
Reply to Lambada..
While I don't doubt that this is your experience, SamanaJon, I have to say, for the record, it isn't mine. Mind you, our maid has been with us 12 years & knows she has a hefty pension coming her way when she retires (as long as I'm still alive because I'm the one who holds the documents)
I am happy for all those who have loyal hired domestic help. I too have a very good and loyal staff, although it took 4 years to find them. You mentined in your text "Hefty Pension for Mercedes". You may be one of the few who have a pension plan for your domestic help. The DR law qualifies "domestic help/employees as maids, cooks, cleaning staff, garderners and night sleepmen also known as serenos for private homes" and it does not provide for a pension, so to speak, only Chistmas Bonus and Vacation. I have been to the "Oficina del Trabajador" in Santo Domingo, on 3 seperate occassions to varify this myself. "Gringos" have traditionally paid a Pension/Severance Pay to terminated employees out of kindness, form what I have observed over the years. BTW, most dominican domestic household employees know this, and always try to bring in an "Official Form for the Oficina del Trabajador" showing compensation due them. Rarely do Dominican families even pay the Vacation or Christmas bonus due the employee at termination.. Sad commentary on the society.
I hope you're wrong. I have never bothered overmuch about the DR law for domestic staff because I consider it minimalistic. I would hope most of us would do what is morally right rather than merely required by law. If someone has sweated cleaning my house for n years so that I didn't have to & was free to do the things I wanted to, then the least I can do is make sure their old age is comfortable and not eked out in penury. Anything else is exploitation. And if we exploit then small wonder we are making our own small but telling contribution to the crime issue.............. Women who clean houses for a living shouldn't have to continue doing so into their 70's just to get by.