Expatriate in the DR again?

Knowing what you know now, would you choose to expatriate in the DR again?


  • Total voters
    44

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,368
3,150
113
This is for expats: If you could do it again, knowing what you know now, would you choose to expatriate in the DR again?

a) Yes and in the same place.

b) Yes, but in a different part of the country.

c) No
 

jrhartley

Gold
Sep 10, 2008
8,190
580
0
64
isnt there always a dont know option in polls...lol
sorry I should taken them more seriously
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
Of course. Now if we could just get the locals to learn how to drive and what customer service is and ship all of the politicians somewhere (like a hurricane) on a glass bottom boat and...
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
I might still end up in the East but more likely in La Romana, than Higuey .... my ending up in Higuey was a twisted fate of unforeseen circumstances and life challenges many years ago.

I like Cibao Central! My dream is to have a ranch in the mountains around Cotui or place similar to it. When I was thinking of packing it up in Higuey two years ago and moving to someplace else in the DR, I found a great business opportunity in the East, one that I copied FROM Cibao, while cleaning up my head for a month in Jarabacoa!
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
'd like to hear from the "no" and "yes, but in a different place" folks, what their thoughts are...
 

MaineGirl

The Way Life Should Be...
Jun 23, 2002
1,879
89
0
amity.beane.org
well

I lived in DR for such a brief stint, let's call it an extended vacation, except one in which I hauled all my precious crap from country to country and back again.



Regardless, if I were to move back...I'd seriously consider Santiago as a base or (having never been there, this is a big OR) Punta Cana environs. Both appeal to me because I can get a decent job in my industry (education) and there are people in both that will help ease my transition. Santiago has the added bonus of being close to many areas I love and want to explore more. Punta Cana seems like an easier place to have people visit me and relax and enjoy their vacation. (My dad for example would not be too keen on staying at a casino in a city, he'd much rather be out in the country).

Why not return to Cabrera? I am not ruling it out. I loved Cabrera but I definitely was not financially ready to move there. One does need a car and quite a lot of startup cash there--and no running to the local Sirena to stock up. My job there was not financially ready for ME either...and I think that will change with time as well as the school is going strong and starting its 4th year. In a few years Cabrera may be the perfect return-to situation.

I am a few years from having to decide and at the rate my brain works, for all I know, I will be in Santiago Chile working on a startup :)
 

dulce

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
2,524
211
63
To answer Cobraboy:
First I lived in SD for a while. It was great for me to get established with banking and such. I had Dominica friends who helped me with all that.
Considering that I did not move to the island to live in a city I moved to JD after a few months. I wanted to be on the beach. I am small town girl so the city did not suit me for everyday living. Too many people, too much traffic, too much noise. The shopping for essentials was definately better in SD. I did not like the power being off most of the time.I lived in Arroyo Hondo and still no power there. Food shopping had to be done most every day. There was no generator for my apartment. (cheap landlord)
At the time JD had a small town feeling even though it was a tourist town. I liked having locals as friends and also meeting new people from different countries. San Pedro and SD were close enough for essential shopping. JD had power almost all of the time so food shopping in bulk was possible. My apartment there had a generator too. (landlord understood what expats need)
I would not move back to either of these locations. SD still has all the negative issues as when I lived there. It's a great city to visit but not for me to live in.
I would not move back to JD because it is a dead town. It is not safe like it was when I lived there. The tourists are not there for me to meet. My friends who did live in JD back then have all moved.
I would look for a small town close enough to a nice beach and I would explore the mountain areas more.
 

Anastacio

Banned
Feb 22, 2010
2,965
235
0
Unless you are lucky enough to make a go of a business idea here, or are old enough to be living out retirement here then for many the only options are the city. Living in a city is the same the world over and so could be anywhere, and so living here is irrelevant, pointless and can be more hassle than it is worth.
Made my ties when I lived on the northcoast, fun, relaxing, peaceful when need be, can't walk away from those ties now and so stuck in the city, noise, dirt, expensive, not much fun, just another city!
Could I have lived forever on the North, no, gets boring after a while, can I live on this side forever, no, I don't intend to, have I found anywhere here I gave fallen in love with now more seasoned? No, I seem to be unable to escape the negatives of Dominican living, like my mind is drawn towards what I know to be bad, not what I could learn or enjoy, shame I did love this place once, I hope to again some day.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I first went to Las Terrenas and like some of the other posters .. made a few good friends there whom I have kept over time which is great. Think that it would have been much harder for me if I had come to SD first since it is not so easy to make friends in the city.

Also I live in Gazcue which is sort of like a small village inside of the city.
I live mostly in the few blocks where I live ... and on foot.

I am continuously amazed at what a very comfortable and wealthy lifestyle I have at an income which would really have me pretty strapped in the States...

And how much I adore the weather

And how sweet the people are that I meet

I am sure that I would love Santiago.. and if I had to move again (for reasons unkown) I would go there.