Please say it ain;t so!! I have visited the D R ( I am English) over 20 times in the last 4 years and stayed in some beaten- up places ( not the resorts- outside in the barrios of La Caleta, Andres, Boca Chica and outskirts of Santiago) and had only ever one incident happen to me - a chain snatch- but the chain broke and the cross fell to the floor - the inept guy hopped in a cab waiting for him and got away wth nothing- but that was 4 years ago- maybe the second time I was in santo Domingo and I was stupid wearing a crucifix in broad view off the Conde... now not so dumb...I may be lucky and maybe I look through rose-coloured glasses, but even the desperately poor in the worst areas I have visited - and especially in Santiago more so than in Santo Domingo I have observed, are polite and totally disarming.. am I seeing a different country? I travel often alone, I am obviously a gringo- on guaguas, I walk- I go to Colmados alone.. and although I sure take the same precautions I would in New York where I now reside, I feel no more fear than a threat that the person making conversation may hit me up for a beer or a few pesos- and that is nothing for the conversation and company. Maybe I am being spared, but I don;t think so. My friend Juan tells me that I should be careful and not take chances. He is compelled by fear of anything outside of his community of La Caleta which prevents him from going anywhere where he knows nobody- we went to Santiago one day together on Caribe and he was a totally different person when we went out at night- not the dancing, talkative guy I knew but a quiet introvert with strangers not from la Caleta. I can't believe it is so bad... sure I've noticed bars on all windows- but I see that in P R too and figured it was for elegance and show. I pray I never see the vision of the D R presented in emails above- because in my eyes that would be a terrible shame for what I consider the most beautiful and unspoilt area in this world with a people so cheerful and warm despite all their horrors. Please God let it not be true.
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To Santiago? ?Ten cuidado, mi hijo!
I love reading these posts. Where is this Santiago you are talking about? I have been going to Santiago a minimum of 5 times a year for the better part of 5 years. I have never felt unsafe or been a crime victim. I drive all over the city both day and night. Apparently there are 2 Santiagos, the bizzarro world one posters like you talk about and the real one where people like me and AZB hang out.
If you ask a Dominican if things are better and safer in nuevaiyol than the DR you should already know the answer.
If you think so many Dominicans living in the States are afraid to come back and live here you should drive around Santiago and visit the nice neighborhoods and knock on the door of the owners and see where they are from. On my street where I live of a total of 8 houses ALL of the owners live or lived in the US. Of those that still live in the States they all obviously plan on moving back here.
Ignorance is bliss.
Seriously, outside of the "hotter areas" Santiago is as safe as any other big city. ie, you have to use the brain God gave you. Also, it can't be as bad as they say because here the high school kids get out of school at 10 pm and most walk home; try that in the States.
The only reason "Dominican-Yols" don't return back to the DR is because they haven't saved enough money to do so, a few have tried moving back taking with them low sums such as US100K and when the reality hit them hard in the face they had no option than to come back to factories and the cold en "los paises."
Any Dominican who have a bit amount of grey material should know that to return to the DR and keep living an US lifestyle you should bring there at least US450K and use it very wisely.
That crap that you hear that DR is so full of crime story is just an excuse to mask the real reason. Money!!
Any Dominican who have a bit amount of grey material should know that to return to the DR and keep living an US lifestyle you should bring there at least US450K and use it very wisely.
That crap that you hear that DR is so full of crime story is just an excuse to mask the real reason. Money!!
But when they come with enough money to live here, los ladrones want to steal it from you.
Yes, there are thieves all over the world and you can't deny that their population is increasing, especially in this current economic climate. Perhaps some of the poorer parts of the world, like here in the Dominican Republic, crime has increased at a faster rate compared to richer countries.
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Maybe you'll see Santiago in a different perspective if/when you live here.
Tish, I don't have to live in Santiago fulltime to know what I speak about. All of my friends live there, my girlfriend lives there. I don't stay in hotels, I have a car there. I lead a very normal life in Santiago. However, I don't make friends with motoconchos, I don't go to dangerous barrios like Cienfuegos, I don't hang out in carwashes and colmados playing dominoes and drinking grandes. If santiago is that bad then move. From your perspective places like Newark, and the South Bronx are safer. Good grief.
I'm not from the US, but I know about the crime in Newark and the South Bronx. Whether you live or hang out in the safer areas, the crime still exists and has, apparently, got worse.
Arguably, I can't speak from personal experience about the increase in crime, because I've only been living here 2.5 years, but I can tell you that I have to be very vigilant where I go and whom I talk to, which was not the case where I lived in the UK. Well, who knows, maybe it's got that way now in some places in the UK. So, I do plan on moving for this and other reasons.
I can tell you there are few Americans that can even put together this type of money. If they do have it they are in their 60's and it is their 401k plan.
I tell you this because this opinion appears so typical from many Dominicans here that I talk too, ie, that they are going to move to the States and work for 5 years w/no education and then come back with US500k. We all know that those who do this aren't doing it legitamately, but people here don't know that.
As an example, I worked as a professional engineer in Florida and made around 70k a year and we had no savings account to speak of. The people that make big money are the couples that both have professional jobs, and still it is doubtful that they will save enough.
Finally, my Dominican nephew went to the States almost three years ago and plans on returning to the DR after a couple of more years. He makes 26k a year and has no rent payment and works 6-7 days a week 10 hours a day at a bodega. He hopes to have saved US25k in that 5 years living like a slave.
frank, save your breath. The only people who complain of thieves / robberies, danger and crime in santiago are the came people who interact with barrio people. They, usually, don't speak spanish. their prime time news source is their maid or their driver or their chulo (boyfriend) or the barrio girlfriend. these people clearly have no contact with the society folks of this country and only live among people who constantly rob them of cash.
I do not know or like to even know about the ugly side of santiago. I didn't come here to see the filth in this country. I am quiet comfortable in my own environment.
AZB
I do not know or like to even know about the ugly side of santiago. I didn't come here to see the filth in this country. I am quiet comfortable in my own environment.
AZB
I honestly feel sorry for you and the experience you have here in Santiago. I'm not insinuating that it's because you live in a bad area either. In fact, my sister in law lives in El Ejido, supposedly a bad area of town and we leave her house many times around 12 am with no problem.
When I speak to people here I mostly get a completely different reaction than you. I'm hardly an intimidating person either. I'd really like to know how there could be such a difference.
I do know if one doesn't manage Spanish well this could be an issue; one because the speaker feels alienated and two because, yes, Dominicans generally want to "categorize" one if they see you differently than them - which is normal when one can't effectively speak their language. This has been my own personal experience and one which causes me to strive to continue to perfect my Spanish.
Well, my spanish is getting better. But what about the news? I partially, understand it and what they're reporting each day.
Yeah some families are like that....my inlaws are exactly the same...but because they hear stories from their people back home who are from the bad barrios of the capital.
A few years ago, before taking a trip to the DR, they warned me about people stealing the children and selling their organs and even scared my children about it, I was angry, because from the area where I'm from you hear nothing of that sort. And everytime we go back they must always warn us of some impending doom.
I think some people are just always like that, waiting for the worse to happen. I am the total opposite and feel very safe when I visit but I do take precautions and keep my eyes open.
Crimes happen here. Then again, when I lived in Orlando, it seemed they had a shooting every other day in Pine Hills only three miles from my house. Also, we had multilple carjackings at the local Walmart one mile from my house, more than a few home invasions with fatalities within a mile of my house in supposedly a nice area, Metrowest. When I first came here to the DR I was scared, not anymore. Why? Well we know our neigbors well, we have dogs and bars on our windows and our house is simply furnished and hardly stands out on our block.
Now that my Spanish is more or less servicable, Dominicans seem to accept me as any other person here, in spite of my accent. I also dress like the locals and do whatever I can to fit in. I even have people ask me if I'm Dominican. Sure people stare at me sometimes, but maybe that's because of my good looks, jeje.
NOT, I'm certain they are wondering if I'm Dominican of Spanish extraction or some other Euro combination.
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Crimes happen here. Then again, when I lived in Orlando, it seemed they had a shooting every other day in Pine Hills only three miles from my house. Also, we had multilple carjackings at the local Walmart one mile from my house, more than a few home invasions with fatalities within a mile of my house in supposedly a nice area, Metrowest. When I first came here to the DR I was scared, not anymore. Why? Well we know our neigbors well, we have dogs and bars on our windows and our house is simply furnished and hardly stands out on our block.
Now that my Spanish is more or less servicable, Dominicans seem to accept me as any other person here, in spite of my accent. I also dress like the locals and do whatever I can to fit in. I even have people ask me if I'm Dominican. Sure people stare at me sometimes, but maybe that's because of my good looks, jeje.
Well I stand out like saw thumb. I'm a muslim, so I wear an hijab.
I would like to add that here in Santiago, it helps that there are so many really white Dominicans and Spanish. When I first moved here I didn't think there were a lot of "white" people here but with time now I know better. At my church in Villa Olga there are many white people and many look to be almost "pure", so much so that they look like my fathers family.
I also have a couple of friends from San Jose de La Mata and Moca that still look almost pure Spanish. One friend from San Jose de La Mata looks a lot like Sergio Garcia and is equally white.
I also have a couple of friends from San Jose de La Mata and Moca that still look almost pure Spanish. One friend from San Jose de La Mata looks a lot like Sergio Garcia and is equally white.
I do what it takes to fit in, in fact I know sport a small goatee in addition to keeping my hair cropped. With my improved Spanish it must be making a difference because I had the guachi at El Nacional comment that my motorcycle was a lot like a gringo who frequents the supermarket. I then told the guy I was one and the same gringo. He was so embarrassed the poor fellow. He went on and on about how gringos are good people and I ever needed anything that all I had to do was ask. If he was white he would have been red as a beet.
Also, whenever I'm stopped by the police or amet they many times call me "commandante" and last week I went to the apartments about my house to complain about the loud music and therefore asked for the "gerente" and the guachi called me "licenciado". Not only that the gerente had the tentant turn his radio off for me lickety split, how's that for service?