To move or not to move?

coops

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Today 06:35 PM - permalinkcoops
Hello, this is my first post on here although I visit most days. I wanted some opinions on my family situation.
My mother in law lives with her partner who is from Sosua and they are selling up to move to the DR as her partner's family are there. They are hoping to set up a business to bring in an income and my wife and I would consider coming over also but are worried about either their business taking off or finding work elsewhere. We think my wife and I would be better off looking in Puerto PLata or Cabarete for work or persuading them to set up their business there. Do people think we could make a life for ourselves in DR. We don't speak spanish (but my wife is learning) and we are in our 30s. Should we stay in UK and split up my wife's family or go for it? Any advice greatly appreciated. Rob.
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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re: where to set up the business... you don't say what it is, but for now, i'd say Cabarete is pretty saturated with businesses competing for the current level of visitors. in slow season, most businesses are slooooooow as there aren't that many full time residents with money to support them
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Let your mother in law screw up her live, do not screw up yours.

You do not have language, you do not know the people, the laws (big joke) or the ins and outs of doing business here. It is failure foretold...

Stand back and watch what happens. If they can support you for a year, THEN maybe you can come over from England and see what is what.

You should buy Ginnie Beddgood's book: Quisqueya: Mad dogs and an English Couple.

Then think..

HB
 

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Stay Clear of Such Adventure

My mother in law lives with her partner who is from Sosua and they are selling up to move to the DR as her partner's family are there. They are hoping to set up a business __

What are your mother-in-law and her partner living off now?
Whose money is to be used for setting up a business here?

donP
 

Anastacio

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Probably not a great idea although who knows, I decided to move to Sosua about 4 years ago and find a business oportunity and set up a business. I took my time, tried to find something where it was not covered by a well established local, looking for the opening, didn't expect it to jump out at me so I bide my time. I am a very diverse person and have owned several businesses in the UK so I knew it takes time and good self management.
After 12months I had two failed small trial ventures, established competition can not be overthrown in a place like Sosua. I had spent over three times my expected budget marker, on living alone, not including the trial ventures. I don't give up easily on anything, have business building experience but saw it was time to move on and no sign of oportunity showing its head in the near future for me, so moved on to Pto Plata. Try to move slightly out of the tourist area and see if anything caught my eye or I saw sign of oportunity. Might as well have been on mars, absolutely no chance. Never did try Cabarete as everything is covered and seemed well covered and the last thing it needed was more competition.

I now live in Santo Domingo after using up pretty much all my savings thinking something must be around the corner. I have my little Dominican family, we live in a little Dominican apartment on a little Dominican budget and prefer to think very little of where my savings went, seems like a million years ago, another life. We are very happy with each other, but we are looking every day to try and find a way to improve our life. Nothing comes easy here and the only real success or even survival stories I encounter are of people who have brought something unique, or are very specialised in what they do, or have found a weekness in the market and get people to part with money. Most Expats I know here are older and living in DR for a hobby and making a living out of money earned elsewhere.

I spoke good Spanish the day I arrived in the country, I also had vacationed in Sosua and Pto Plata several times over several years before contemplating jumping in. What you see from the outside while on short term visits or living is not how life is once you have made a commitment, tis a very strange and wonderful place, but life is anything but easy.

Just an offering of a first hand experience, still living it, still happy, but alien life to what I might have predicted several years ago. If I didn't have a Dominican daughter and partner then I would not be in the country, I would be chasing dreams elsewhere. Maybe saving the Republic for those vacations from making a real living elsewhere. I have learned alot about this country and the people and had many experiences, and even if I could turn back time, take back the money I would struggle to make business move in Sosua.

Good luck in what you decide, think long and hard, and try to advise the mother in law, just do some investigating and you may be enlightened on a few issues or concerns that may come your families way.
 
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belgiank

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In my previous life (before I moved here...)... I was a trouble-shooter...

I was hired by companies to come in, look at the situation, and clear them up... improving profits, or solving losses... and cutting out the dead wood...

You can guess it... I was the most popular guy to arrive on the workfloor in the morning... lol...

I have been living here for a year now... mostly just relaxing... but I can tell you this, just from observing... running a business over here is completely different from doing so in the US or Europe...

On the other hand, I do admire the way they do business over here... more direct, no pussy-footing, yes hand-offs, etc... but hey... and yes, I could improve the performance of a lot of companies over here...

To move here, and start a business straight away.... oh god... wrong move... unless you have the killer instinct...
 
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MikeFisher

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and you should have prior Experience to Run your own business.
do you own your own business over there in the UK or do you life from what the Inlaws give?
great Post from Anastacio, thanks for sharing and good luck with all ventures to Improve with the Family, it sometimes looks very bad, but believe me, at those points there's always the chance to see the shimmering of a light. I've been with my own brought Investments down on Zero, too, but the made relations down here by that Time made me stay and years ago I finally saw the shimmering, grabbed it with both hands, believed in it and Today's I Know as fact that the lil shimmer been the brightest Sunshine to catch. It has all it's Time, and you always have to stay on Your Road, then it works.

for the OP,
who did not bother to answer back, yet,
Hillbilly gave the basics,
work from there on.
cheers
Mike
 

coops

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Jun 24, 2010
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to move or not to move?

thanks all for the advise,in the back of my mind it was what i was thinking.
No my mother in law doesnt have a business over here and it would be her money that we would be trying to start a small bar with.
Probally a good idea to see if they can make it in sosua first.
She is married to a dominican from sosua who is a dive master and he is confident that there is work there,is that the case???
Thanks all to those who replied to my post:glasses:
 

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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A New Idea: A Bar...

___ to start a small bar with.
Probally a good idea
Forget it.

She is married to a dominican ___ and he is confident that there is work there,is that the case???

Did he say, No problem?
Then he is right.
HE won't have a problem, you (or rather his wife) will.
In these times of crisis there is little work, almost at all levels.

BTW, what kind of work are you all used to do?

donP
 

jrhartley

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bars and dive masters - there are plenty here Im afraid to tell you .


you would need to make the bar very different to the others - maybe a drag bar (as there isnt one in sosua)
 

AlterEgo

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bars and dive masters - there are plenty here Im afraid to tell you .

My husband and his youngest brother are/were dive masters [my husband hasn't done it for years] and while your step-father-in-law might get a job it won't pay very much. My brother-in-law worked out in Bavaro for many years working - taking tourists on dives, teaching them, etc. He also did commercial dive work [underwater work on pipes, boats, etc.]. Let me tell you, he never made very much money doing that, as much as he loved the life. He did make a lot of international friends, but that doesn't pay the bills.

AE
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Today 06:35 PM - permalinkcoops
Hello, this is my first post on here although I visit most days. I wanted some opinions on my family situation.
My mother in law lives with her partner who is from Sosua and they are selling up to move to the DR as her partner's family are there. They are hoping to set up a business to bring in an income and my wife and I would consider coming over also but are worried about either their business taking off or finding work elsewhere. We think my wife and I would be better off looking in Puerto PLata or Cabarete for work or persuading them to set up their business there. Do people think we could make a life for ourselves in DR. We don't speak spanish (but my wife is learning) and we are in our 30s. Should we stay in UK and split up my wife's family or go for it? Any advice greatly appreciated. Rob.

To only remotely have a chance at a successful expat experience, you'd have to KNOW the place you aim to move to so well, you'd be so CONVINCED you want to move there, you wouldn't even be thinking about asking others about their opinion.

In other words, heed Hillbilly's advice!

And tell your mother, it's not a woman's job to give money to a man who has not "made it" (or else he wouldn't need it). In general, it is a bad idea to put your money into the hands of somebody who has nothing to show for what he/she talks about.
The DR is a DEAD wrong location to "learn" to play investor too.

... J-D.
 
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rice&beans

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May 16, 2010
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Can we watch the football game?....NO! I wanna watch The Wizard Of Oz.....

bars and dive masters - there are plenty here Im afraid to tell you .


you would need to make the bar very different to the others - maybe a drag bar (as there isnt one in sosua)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51418611@N05/4866294620/" title="Drag queen by bocachica64, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4866294620_3ea728f69a_m.jpg" width="150" height="216" alt="Drag queen" /></a>

Wow, what a great idea!!...that would be a unique business, hahahaha....:ermm:......naah.......
 

MikeFisher

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taht Baby is dead before Birth will be given.
Divemaster and a Bar to hang out there with His Diving friends,
while the wife has to look for a way to make the money to pay for His lifestyle,
because as a Divemaster he will not make enough to pay the Rent fro a Decent Room for the english Lady to live in
Mike
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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Your step father is a liar if he is confident there is work in Sosua, it is that simple.
A Dominican who makes very little money will be very confident with your mothers money, why shouldn't he be, he has nothing to lose.

Once upon a time in a land far far away,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
They buy a house in Sosua, he will parade your mother off to all he can of his mates and family as he has now made it big, he has the catch and can look at himself as one of the big men in Sosua now.
He gets your mum to buy a nice big 4x4 for herself which somehow becomes his and entirely his. Your mother is then reliant on him to taxi her around, this way he has 24hour control over where she is and makes sure no one can steal her away, heavens forbid she meets a financial stable expat or other Dominican with more in comon. Jealousy levels like she could never imagine.

They try to invest in a bar on the outskirts of central Sosua which ends up only being filled by his friends who come, use the pool table, play games and spend very little money. The place never kicks off as it isn't central and is full of Dominican workers which won't attract the all important regular expats, if you are going to have a bar none central in Sosua you need a good expat regular client base to work.
The relationship goes through hell as your mother sees her money fritter away and no change or brighter outlook in the bar. After months of slogging away and putting money down the drain you have to give it up, losing alot of money on the lease among other contracts and frittered expenses.
The what was originally a large nicer home gets downscaled, eventually move away to a place they can afford but only to see off the last of your mothers money. He can survive as he can go back to his life before the mother in law experience and has lost nothing, but had a damn good vacation and has himself a nice 4x4 out of it.
Mother eventually returns to UK, alone, broke, broken hearted but well educated. The father in law moves on without losing a seconds sleep over it.

Imagine if something along the lines of this happened? Tragedy.


Things you might need to make a success of a bar in Sosua. Previous experience or are a natural and very very lucky person with good contacts in the town. And the most important thing of all, know how to deal with Sosua, live in it, and deal with it and its people. If you don't know Sosua very very well and how to deal with it and its people you will be flamed instantly and out of your depth before you can blink. It is difficult anywhere but you need to know what you are doing in Sosua, it takes no hostages!!!

Good luck!
 

rice&beans

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May 16, 2010
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I don't take advice very well, I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do.......

thanks all for the advise,in the back of my mind it was what i was thinking.
No my mother in law doesnt have a business over here and it would be her money that we would be trying to start a small bar with.
Probally a good idea to see if they can make it in sosua first.
She is married to a dominican from sosua who is a dive master and he is confident that there is work there,is that the case???
Thanks all to those who replied to my post:glasses:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51418611@N05/4866761716/" title="glossy pants by bocachica64, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4866761716_1a66a5777e.jpg" width="500" height="485" alt="glossy pants" /></a>

Dude you gotta start living in the real world, It's 2010,,,Do you know how competitive and cut throat business is in the Dominican Republic?..(you will get eaten ALIVE) I'm not trying to be cruel. Are things that BAD in the UK?.....Your little Fantasy is a RECIPE FOR DISASTER.......Listen to Hillbilly, READ Anastacio's post.....he just wrote the SCRIPT of your future.....(he kinda beat me to it...lol)...You'll do whatever you want I'm sure, I hope you prove us all wrong...................Good Luck..........And I do MEAN THAT:glasses::glasses:
 

Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51418611@N05/4866761716/" title="glossy pants by bocachica64, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4866761716_1a66a5777e.jpg" width="500" height="485" alt="glossy pants" /></a>

Was that you in your younger years?

groovy!!!!:laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
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