What do you guys do for a living?

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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So I know the question is extremely impersonal, and I'm basically prying into the lives of a bunch of strangers, but the reason I ask the question is because I have been thinking about moving to the DR fulltime for a couple of years now, and don't see how I'd be able to have a career in the country. I'm a first generation Dominican-American. My parents were both born and raised in the DR, and didn't come to the states until they were both in their mid 20's. I speak fluent Spanish, as it's the language I spoke at home growing up. ALL of my family lives in the DR, and I visit 2/3 times a year for 3 - 5 months each time. The only thing holding me back from moving there fulltime is I still haven't finished with school (I'm finishing my junior year at Columbia university this year.) I'm double majoring in Economics, and Political Science. I don't see how any of these two particular fields would help me finding a job in the DR that is well paying. I've been thinking of applying to law school, and getting a JD with a heavy emphasis on a career in international law as that seems like it'd probably be more fitting. But my curiosity has gotten the best of me, and I'm dying to know how some of you guys just pick up and move to another country and are able to maintain decent employment. I know a lot of the posters here are are bit older and probably were able to make such a move with money saved up, pension plans, or w/e the case may be, that wouldn't apply to me as I'm 21 years old and the only money I have saved up is beer money for the weekends =(
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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My advice is to earn your money out of the country and retire here.

Well some of my cost wouldn't be that high. Since I visit frequently my parents already owned a nice apartment in a decent area, and I wouldn't have to pay rent, we also own a car, and whilst I hate driving in the country I can manage. My parents recently retired to Florida, as my father is to paranoid to return to Santo Domingo as he's scared ****less of the violent crime, so they won't be inhabiting the apartment or using the car anytime soon. So my cost would basically come down to food, gas, internet, cable, phone, going out. Which when taken into account is pretty manageable since I don't have to pay rent, or waste the money buying a car. I don't have kids, or a wife so I think I can pretty much manage if I had a decent job.
 

Como_un_cameron

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Jan 8, 2011
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Come and spend a few weeks here.
All the Dominicans you'll be meeting, will love to leave the DR with you.

WHY???

I really don't know.
Once they're in Nueva Yol , most of them want to go back!

Two worlds collide and people tend to go where they feel comfortable.

However when you're not talking BS.
You might have a fair good opportunity here since you're DR.
In DR you're nothing whit big papers, and without contacts.
Start making contact with the right people is how it works here.

Y ten cuidado!
 

greydread

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Jan 3, 2007
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So I know the question is extremely impersonal, and I'm basically prying into the lives of a bunch of strangers, but the reason I ask the question is because I have been thinking about moving to the DR fulltime for a couple of years now, and don't see how I'd be able to have a career in the country. I'm a first generation Dominican-American. My parents were both born and raised in the DR, and didn't come to the states until they were both in their mid 20's. I speak fluent Spanish, as it's the language I spoke at home growing up. ALL of my family lives in the DR, and I visit 2/3 times a year for 3 - 5 months each time. The only thing holding me back from moving there fulltime is I still haven't finished with school (I'm finishing my junior year at Columbia university this year.) I'm double majoring in Economics, and Political Science. I don't see how any of these two particular fields would help me finding a job in the DR that is well paying. I've been thinking of applying to law school, and getting a JD with a heavy emphasis on a career in international law as that seems like it'd probably be more fitting. But my curiosity has gotten the best of me, and I'm dying to know how some of you guys just pick up and move to another country and are able to maintain decent employment. I know a lot of the posters here are are bit older and probably were able to make such a move with money saved up, pension plans, or w/e the case may be, that wouldn't apply to me as I'm 21 years old and the only money I have saved up is beer money for the weekends =(

Add CPA credentials to your resume after you graduate. You've got something that many ex-pat's aren't armed with, strong family and friend networks in both countries. If I were in your shoes I'd start two businesses, a shipping company and a customs brokerage. You've got too much going for you to be looking for "a job". With a little luck and a lot of hard work you'll be a millionaire by the time you're 30.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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it does not matter what do we do for a living. what matters is what can YOU do for a living? economy and political science are pretty wide subjects and they prepare one to do many types of jobs. what skills do you have? what can you bring to the table as an employee? what ideas do you have for your own business?
i suggest you save up and come to stay in DR for a few months. you could esily work in a call centre and that should get you started: give you a taste of life in DR and time to look at other opportunities. there are many options in SD but you have to remember that without work experience you will have to start low and work your way up.
personally i think that USA may offer you a lot more in terms of a job market. maybe you could focus on international companies that could, in a long run, offer positions in DR or latin/south america in general.
 

imfromda305

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Dec 9, 2011
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This guy is 21 years old, goes to Columbia and he wants to live in DR!?!?! :confused:

You need to get your head straight!

I've been reading about a couple of young bucks like ourselves and after they told their story I never heard from them again, it's basically all the same.. they have a good / okay life where they are but their guts make them want to live here in the DR. And yeah, they always seem to have beer money or weekend money! :ermm:

Just get your money up while you're in the States, you've said you've been coming to the DR 2 or 3 times a year so you already know what's going on here. Next time you go take a pen and paper, write down all the costs you're making.. also go to job interviews and write down what type of money you're going to make.

At least you got that privilege unlike others who come on this forum who never been to the DR.

I can't be sitting here acting like I know it all, this ain't even my country.. the only thing I can relate to is being young and curious like yourself. But I'm here to get a job done, with a whole lot more than just weekend and beer money. <- Hence me saying get your money up first!

Because you're at an age where you should and could get the best done out of your life.. take advantage of that.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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I think that you would fine a career in international law more rewarding and satisfying.

If you insist on living full time in the DR, then either make use of your education and family contacts to start your own business, as has been suggested, or look for an international corporation that does business in the DR and work for them.
 

xwill

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Dec 2, 2011
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Will you be able to handle working in DR? Up to now you might have been going to DR and party all day and night. Will you be able to handle a work schedule in paradise?
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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Visiting is VERY different to living here. Finish school, save a few $$$, then come and live for 4-6 months. Network, get a feel for the place, then make a decision.

Your young, if it doesn't work out in the DR, you still have plenty of rollback options.
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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it does not matter what do we do for a living. what matters is what can YOU do for a living? economy and political science are pretty wide subjects and they prepare one to do many types of jobs. what skills do you have? what can you bring to the table as an employee? what ideas do you have for your own business?
i suggest you save up and come to stay in DR for a few months. you could esily work in a call centre and that should get you started: give you a taste of life in DR and time to look at other opportunities. there are many options in SD but you have to remember that without work experience you will have to start low and work your way up.
personally i think that USA may offer you a lot more in terms of a job market. maybe you could focus on international companies that could, in a long run, offer positions in DR or latin/south america in general.

Thank you! I haven't seen it through these lens before. I should have probably been asking what are the steps you guys suggest to take in order to move to DR fulltime, as opposed to what you guys do for money. While the USA may offer me more in the job market, I don't need to lead an amazing life. I didn't grow up wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, and only reason I was even able to go to college was because I got a full academic ride, so I think for the most part I know a bit about hard work. I will without a doubt look into the international company thing, as somehow it never even crossed my mind.
 
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Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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This guy is 21 years old, goes to Columbia and he wants to live in DR!?!?! :confused:

You need to get your head straight!

I've been reading about a couple of young bucks like ourselves and after they told their story I never heard from them again, it's basically all the same.. they have a good / okay life where they are but their guts make them want to live here in the DR. And yeah, they always seem to have beer money or weekend money! :ermm:

Just get your money up while you're in the States, you've said you've been coming to the DR 2 or 3 times a year so you already know what's going on here. Next time you go take a pen and paper, write down all the costs you're making.. also go to job interviews and write down what type of money you're going to make.

At least you got that privilege unlike others who come on this forum who never been to the DR.

I can't be sitting here acting like I know it all, this ain't even my country.. the only thing I can relate to is being young and curious like yourself. But I'm here to get a job done, with a whole lot more than just weekend and beer money. <- Hence me saying get your money up first!

Because you're at an age where you should and could get the best done out of your life.. take advantage of that.

Yeah, hahaha I really do want to live in the DR. I'm lucky that I'm able to go to a school whose name will hopefully open some doors for me. and I pretty much have my cost figured out, I recently set up and internet, home phone, and cable service which runs me about 200 dollars combined a month. Food is pretty wishy - washy as I eat out a lot and probably spend 500 dollars a month on grocery, gas is pretty interchangeable as there are times where in a month I've spent 100+ dollars and others where I've spent 30 dollars, and the rest would pretty much to cover my other cost such as dates, movies, w/e. Since I would live rent free it's pretty much around $2,000 dollars a month that I've calculated.
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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Will you be able to handle working in DR? Up to now you might have been going to DR and party all day and night. Will you be able to handle a work schedule in paradise?

I've never taken that into account. It is very different from me going for 3 months, and pretty much going to bars, and nightclubs, and just hanging out with my friends/family every night as opposed to having a 9:00 - 5:00 where I can't go on a bender the night before.
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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Visiting is VERY different to living here. Finish school, save a few $$$, then come and live for 4-6 months. Network, get a feel for the place, then make a decision.

Your young, if it doesn't work out in the DR, you still have plenty of rollback options.

I think this is pretty much the advice everyone's giving, and it seems the most logical. Lucky there are a few steps I already can bypass such as finding a place to live, transportation, and other things. But I have an entire year and then some to pretty much save up my money and try it out for a couple of months. I really do appreciate everyone's advice.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I'm impressed with your last several posts. They tell me that you have what it takes to be successful in whatever you decide on.
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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Don't be so quick to disrespect your father. Sounds like he has a lot of common sense.

The man has raised me, and done everything for me. In no way was I trying to be disrespectful, but paranoid is whats best can be used for a lack of a better term. I understand the country is rife with violent crimes, I don't live in a fantasy world where it's just paradise and crime can only be found in small pockets of the country, but last time him and I both went to Santo Domingo, he refused to leave our apartment for fear of being murder, or robbed. He decided to hole himself up, and read books all day.

He has fond memories of the Dominican Republic he grew up in (1960- 86) and as opposed to facing reality, and taking the country for what it is today, he lives in the past and wants to only compare it to the time when he told me he could leave his house without closing a single window or door, and how no one wanted to be known as a criminal because of the shame it brought.
 

La Rubia

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Jan 1, 2010
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Don't be so quick to disrespect your father. Sounds like he has a lot of common sense.

And I wonder if they are a part of a growing trend. While making a life and dreaming of returning home, home has changed in ways not so appealing.

Would like to see it work for the op, the country would improve greatly if more like him return. I think it is a mark of respect to want to return to where your parents are from. So many second generation children want to distance themselves from their home culture.
 

Reasonable Man

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Dec 23, 2011
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And I wonder if they are a part of a growing trend. While making a life and dreaming of returning home, home has changed in ways not so appealing.

Would like to see it work for the op, the country would improve greatly if more like him return. I think it is a mark of respect to want to return to where your parents are from. So many second generation children want to distance themselves from their home culture.

I think the first half of your post summarized my fathers feeling towards the country perfectly. He left the country 25 years ago in hopes of making a better living in the US, and returning and retiring one day. Along the way he bought what he envisioned would be his two retirement homes, and now today to them they are a hassle because he wants to get rid of both properties because whilst he loves going back to visit family and friends, he doesn't want to retire there anymore.

and thank you for your words. I think it's funny because my younger brother is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He hates and loathes the Dominican Republic with every fiber in his being. He barely speaks spanish, and doesn't identify one bit with Dominican culture. I think it's one of those polarizing things about being second generation, some people want to run from it while others want to embrace their culture.