Anybody regreted moving from Sosua-Cabarete to Santiago?

There must be a Dear Abby on this site...who is that?

Yes
where is Shalena
still unpacking her container?lol
Manu

Personally I want to live in Santiago when I move permanately to DR, I currently live in Sosua and travel monthly to Sosua/Caberete area and I know how you feel, it really is a small community and after awhile not much to do. I think you should try spending some weekends and holidays in Santiago over the next few months just to get a feel for it, Your husband has connexions there so you can start building up a base of aquaintences/friends to hang out with and learn to explore Santiago. I think if you did that you would start leaning toward Santiago because everything is cheaper, better medical, nice neighborhoods and just more to do. Dont worry there are plenty of pools and rivers to cool off in near Santiago and your only an hours drive to the beach anytime you like to go.

After you have been living in Cabarete for 9 years it will be very hard to adjust to living in Santiago.
Totally different life in Santiago, you will miss the beaches, multinational community, etc.
(The multinational community just is not the same here in Santiago)

Sure there are new places to go, but that will wear off fast.
Try to arrange a couple weeks stay with his family in Santiago, you will see what I mean.
You are used to the crowds of Cabarete, but unfortunately that same thing probably is not good for your daughter's growth.

You will spend "MOST" of your time at home as a family, so you better have strong family ties and things to do.

The following is a comparison of us doing a similar move as you contemplate:

We left Fort Lauderdale Florida about 11 years ago to move to the Tampa area, we are still home sick and wish we could move back there, but can't afford to do it or we would. And we have beaches in the Tampa area. You just can not replace the Fort Lauderdale lifestyle we grew accustomed to.....

In a word, I would say the feeling about moving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa is "Isolation".
You may feel quite isolated in Santiago compared to living in Cabarete for 9 years with the crowds.


Don

I'm sorry, i have to disagree with a couple off assessments here regarding Santiago. It's correct that Santiago is big, with many more stores, but its an inland community, surrounded by mountains, with no ocean. Every weekend i get to meet people and hear from people living in Santiago who, drive up to Cabarete as fast as they can in order to escape Santiago. They then proceed to tell me how they wish to god that they could live near the ocean. This is every weekend. I hear people talk about the benefits of the slow pace that we enjoy on the north coast, plus no traffic, and no chaos like that of a big city.

Remember, i'm working in a restaurant on the beach in Cabarete, so i not only get to hear from people living in santiago, i also get an earful from people liing in Sano Domingo as well--people who are sick of the traffic, chaos, pollution, and smog.

As far as the education is concerned. in Sosua, we got the Internatinal School where all classes are taught in english, the professors are good, experienced, and qualified. And its a good school. No, correction, its a great school, with lots of kids from all over the world--Russia, England, America, Canada, Europe, and Dominican.

Yes, i can sympathize with getting bored in Cabarete and Sosua. they're small towns. but like any place, it helps if you have hobbies to occupy your time with. some people pick up the water sports, some people volunteer their spare time with one of the charities, some people sit and read and write books, some people travel to different places on the weekend, and some people find lover's to fill their afternoons up with. I mean, really, there's such a plethora of choices out there of things to do. its up to you and what your taste are. Nevertheless, i understand getting bored every once and a while. this is when you drive to the POP airport and in 90 minutes your in Miami. Spend the weekend in Miami and then come back. you can literally go to Miami and back in less time than it would take you to drive to Punta Cana.

The other thing you could do, and many people do--myself included--is take off in the summers when your kid is not in school. Go back home. Are you Russian? you mentioned Russia. Go back to Russia or the USA or Europe, spend the summers with friends and family...study them, dissect them, notice how they're struggling with the economy and the traffic, and how they're caught up in the rat-race of hustling back and forth everywhere everyday. Notice how everyone is struggling to pay their home mortgages, bank loans, car loans, insurance, medical and a myriad of other bills. AFter you've studied them thoroughly, come back to the north coast and sit on the beach in Cabarete or Sosua and sip on a pina coloda out of a coconut on the beach and watch kite surfers and surfers fall down and bruise themselves and get upset over the most mundane things in life like..."did you see that surfer cut me off!" or "did you see how big that wave was?" or "I wonder if i put enough sunblock on today?" or "I wonder if i should go to LAX today for the Mohito happy hour, or go to Mohito bar for the beer happy hour?" or "I wonder if that guy or girl really likes me?"

These are some of the mundane troubles that we get to enjoy here on the north coast while every one else in the bigger cities are stuck inside their cars just trying to cross the city without getting killed or inhaling too much car and bus exhaust while they're stuck in horrendous traffic.

Yes, Santiago has more choices in terms of medical facilities, but, you sound like you're in your 30's at most. Do you have medical needs that require you to live next door or near a medical facility?

Yes, santiago has more schools, but not one of them offers any better education for your 8yr old child than Sosua international school. what school is our child enrolled in now?

You mention your huband is dominican/american. does he have a job where he can just get up and leave cabarete and work in santiago doing the same thing? Is he a sanky? Well, i suppose he could do that anywhere.

I can offer you better, more specific riented advice, but i need more information about your background, education level, languages you speak, color of your eyes, bra size, waist size, height, weight, and hip ratio.

FRank--AKA Dear Abby

I to get bored of the NC sometimes heck I get bored of the DR but like franks says when I go back home I really appreciate the DR more !! Santiago is nice I am not a city boy so I prefer the NC close to beaches mountain I like meeting people from all over the world in these areas too. Santiago is nice I considered a move there few years ago for a change but decided as growing up surrounded by beaches and oceans I prefer to stay near the beaches and ocean. It is up to you in the end but has my mama used to say the grass is not always greener on the other side!

doing the same thing over time can get boring. just ask all the divorced old men that flock to the DR for sex. to your point, i think it is best to put your child's needs first before yours. when they get older, you might want to consider the move for better university in santiago.

My step daughter went to the Int. School in Sosua for two years, went to NY to complete her education in College and is now an Arichitect in NY. So I would say that the Int. School is as good as you will get in the DR.

Stay In Cabarete where you and your man have friends and family? .take trips to Santiago for the weekends , Big city stuff , and invest in a chastity belt! Lol Your going to need it if she is Santiago or Cabarete.with a girl . KEEP YOUR DAUGHTER BUSY AS ABEE !!!! And you get involved in her interests and get more interests your self ,!! How do u like me so far? Lol

Spare Keys

arrugala said:

... invest in a chastity belt! Lol Your going to need it ....

Click to expand...

Sankies have spare keys to any lock..... :laugh:

And Dominican locksmiths are the best, just ask PICHARDO. :lick:


donP

I have not moved from the north coast to Santiago, but if I did move from the north coast to Santiago, I would regret it for certain.

nice that you are building a house it wasnt long ago that you couldnt afford a new keyboard ;-)

This is interesting as we are thinking about moving there (Sos?a/Cab).
Have you been going to Santiago on weekends? Sto Domingo? I would to break up your routine.
Maybe try different things/hobbies, look for new community groups?

Amongst a few things, my passion is windsurfing so long as the wind is good, I'm happy.
However, after driving around Cab, Sos?a & PP, I can see how one could get bored since it can appear fairly "small".
Unfortunately, I didn't stop by Santiago but Sto Domingo was pretty fun (with different things to do).

It seems that friends play an important role with happiness. Spending time with them, setting up dinners/parties.
Maybe you can ask their opinion on the matter?

JessicaRabbit said:

I have been to Santiago, Moca and La Vega a lot of times, i liked it during my visits but living there might be not as fun, thats why asking you guys who moved
What comes to my DH he is not a sanky, he works with me and our job allows us to live anywhere. Working from home makes us spend most of the time at home still... We go to the beach like once or twice a month and go out only on Saturdays.
International School is too expensive, i mean cmon 600$ or so a month for 3rd grade? She was going to Nueva Vida but that school sucks, she didnt learn nada there and she was going there since she was 5, all summer my husband was giving her lessons on how to read and do simple multiplication, in 2nd grade she could not say how much is 5+1! I moved her to collegio Cadin in Islabon for this year. Seems like teacher is better there and puts more effort in her job. Plus it costs 1700 pesos a month transportation Included!

Click to expand...

Jessica,

You mentioned something about your Russian friends...are you Russian, American, Canadian?

Yes, i agree, Sosua International is expensive. But, in my eyes, you get what you pay for. Everyday you get email updates on homework, quiz, and tests scores...as well as where your child ranks in comprehension skills compared to his or her peers. the email updates ar worth their weight in gold because it allows you to focus your attention on the areas needing the most concentration.

Also, homework is given everyday to 3rd graders (As well all other grades) and you are emailed the results each day, as well as get the test and quiz papers back at the end of the week. Again, this allows you to see exactly where your child needs to concentrate and focus his or her attention on.

No i don't work at the school, nor do in know anyone working at the school on a personal basis. I work in a restaurant in Cabarete, but i do have an invested interest in a child who does attend the school, and i am very impressed with the hands on attention she recieves. i'm also extremely impressed with the constant updates on homework, quiz, and tests scores. If i had these things while i was in school, i may have finished the 8th grade.

Oh well, sometimes, you just have to play the cards life deals you.

Love frank

Jessica,

Perhaps the key is to view the NC and Cibao region as one and the same for living purposes.

I live in Atlanta, which takes close to 1-1/2 hours to cross (from Henry County in the south, through the beltway which includes Atlanta proper, up through Norcross in the north), and has a total population that's about a two thirds of DR.

We have lakes, mountains, and just about every kind of diversion you can imagine within that area, and we tend to make the most of it. I'd encourage you to do the same as well. While I'm sure you're getting out there, make it into a fun thing. You know, buy a map, some pushpins, and let your eight year old help figure out what to do next. There's a LOT of cool stuff going on out there. :glasses:

Regarding schooling, I feel your pain. It's an unfortunate cost, but FWIW, is only about half of what they charge at Carol Morgan.

Ukraine

frank12 said:

Jessica,..are you Russian, American, Canadian?

Click to expand...

She was Russian (well, nationality wise until 1991).
She now is a Ukrainian lady...
https://www.google.com/search?q=Ukr...YD-Oi2AXTpoHgDw&ved=0CDoQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=830

donP